Forbidden Love
by XD-385
Summary: Prequel to Rukario Romance, the series involving Ash and Ruby. In the distant past, there lived a wealthy knight who adopted a young Lucario. They quickly bond and she becomes a new member of the family.
1. A New Start

Long ago, in the kingdom of Rohta, there lived a direct ancestor of Ash Ketchum. His name was Ashton. He was the only son of a wealthy family of viscounts. However, he lost them both at a young age to an unknown virus. However, that didn't stop him from becoming one of the most respected swordsmen in the kingdom. At the young age of fifteen, he became an independent knight after graduating from the academy. He watched over his family's estate while frequently mingling with the commoners.

One day, Ashton was walking by the harbor when he noticed an oddly designed ship that was docked. He recognized the design. It was from the Far East. He noticed a middle aged man seated near a large cage. Curious, Ashton approached them. When Ashton walked up to the man, he stood up and bowed. With a heavy eastern accent, he said, "Welcome, Sir Ashton. May I interest you in my wares?" He replied, "That depends. What are you selling" With a snap of his fingers, the old man made a curtain that was covering the front of the cage rise. Ashton gasped in awe at what was behind the bars.

About a dozen black and blue canine like Pokemon were testing each other's strength. They stood on two legs and seemed quite skilled in the use of eastern combat styles. The old man spoke, "These are Lucario, specie of Pokemon from my land. As you can see, they are much skilled in battle. Although they are only four feet tall, they can support much more weight than we can. Do they interest you?" Ashton raised a hand to his chin. "Indeed. I would like to purchase one." In his native tongue, the old man barked an order at the Lucario. Immediately, they lined up against the wall. After the door was unlocked, Ashton stepped inside. "Choose whichever one you desire." After a moment of evaluating the Lucario, Ashton noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Huddled in a corner was a young female. He noticed that she did not have the three spikes that the others had. He stepped out side to have a word with the merchant.

"That female over there. What is wrong with her?" The merchant shook his head, "The poor child. She is malformed. Lucario grow three spikes on their bodies. However, she did not grow them. They place great pride and value on their spikes. Because she has none, the rest view her as worthless." Ashton looked over at her and stepped back inside. The Lucario watched as he walked over to her. He kneeled down next to her and rested his hand on her shoulder. "I want you." The young female raised her head and looked at him. She had beautiful red eyes. Ashton spoke, "They may see you as worthless, but I disagree. Come with me, and I'll show you that you're not worthless."

Halfheartedly, the young female Lucario stood up. Ashton held out his hand to her. He reassured her, "It's all right. I won't hurt you." Nervously, she grabbed his hand. As Ashton walked her out of the cage, she could feel the anger filled eyes of the other Lucario glaring at her. Out of fear, she gripped his hand tightly. Ashton responded by placing his hand on her shoulder. The merchant smiled, "She is a good choice. Because no one else would buy her, I give her to you as gift." Ashton bowed, "Thank you. What is her name?" The merchant frowned, "She does not have one. You will have to name her yourself." Ashton thanked him again and went on his way with his latest acquisition at his side. Many villagers stared at him while he kept his hand on the Lucario's shoulder. Still, Ashton had a very compassionate soul. However, he was a demon when enraged, earning him the title, "The Vulcan Warrior" since he could be quiet and dormant one minute, and then erupt with devastating rage! His gentle nature prevented him from easily becoming angry, though.

When they arrived at his manor, Ashton escorted the female Lucario to a guest room. In one of the drawers of a dresser, Ashton pulled out a custom-made dress for her. "Tomorrow, I will show you your new duties. Now, what would be a good name for you?" Ashton began pacing the floor while the female Lucario watched. He saw her eyes again. Just then, it hit him. "Young lass, how does the name "Ruby" sound to you?" The Lucario was silent for a moment. She surprised him when she spoke, "Do you prefer it?" After a moment of awkward silence, Ashton replied, "You can speak?" She nodded. "Hmmm. Well, I think the name suits you. Now, Ruby, please come with me."

Ashton led Ruby to a bathroom. "You seem rather dirty from the long ride on that vessel. Trust me. You will feel much better after a hot bath." With a turn of a valve, hot water began to come from a metal pipe. Ashton's manor was constructed near hot springs. After a few minutes, Ashton closed the valve. Steam quickly filled the room. "It's ready. Do you want me to help you?" Ruby slowly nodded. She had never actually bathed before. Ashton noticed her grip the thick blue area around her waist. "Um, are those pants?" She nodded. "Oh, well, excuse me." Ashton turned his back while Ruby undressed herself. A moment later, he heard a sigh of relief and a gentle splash. He looked at the tub and saw Ruby seated with the water up to her shoulders. He also noticed the upper parts of her breasts sticking above the surface.

"Well, now that you are comfortable, let me get some shampoo and soap." Ashton began looking through a wooden box nearby. He pulled out a block of soap and a wooden container of shampoo. He walked back over to Ruby and took a seat on a stool. "Are you comfortable?" She remained silent. "Please speak. I don't know what you have gone through in your life, but I promise you that you will be respected here." Ruby's face slowly began to smile. To her surprise, Ashton commented, "You have an attractive smile." She finally spoke, "Yes, this water is very pleasant." Ashton gently scratched the top of her head. "OK, first, submerge your head so it gets wet." Ruby did as she was told and dunked her head in the water. She couldn't take the heat for long and resurfaced quickly.

Ashton poured a small amount of shampoo into his hand. "Please close your eyes. It will sting if it gets in them." A second later, Ruby said, "I'm ready." She sighed when she felt Ashton begin to scrub her scalp with his hands. He made sure to not miss anything. "You have very fine fur. I'm surprised that it still holds much of its quality after being filthy for so long." Ruby replied, "Thank you." After scrubbing her head and back, Ashton moved around to her front. Very nervously, he began to wash the fur on her chest. He jumped when Ruby gasped. "I….. I'm sorry if I offended you. I was only trying to be thorough." Without opening her eyes, Ruby spoke, "It's all right. That was a gasp of pleasure. Please, go on." After breathing a sigh of relief, Ashton continued bathing her. The whole time, she would frequently moan in pleasure at his touch.

Once she was cleaned, Ashton helped Ruby out of the tub while trying to not look down. He then wrapped her in a towel. "You look much better now. Hm?" He saw her give him an odd look. "Are you feeling all right?" While holding back tears, Ruby replied, "You….. You are the only person in the history of my life who has ever treated me with such kindness. I'm not accustomed to such treatment." Ashton walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Well, you had best get used to it. From this moment on, you will be a new member of my "family." She looked at him, "There are others?" Ashton frowned, "Well, no other humans. I lost my family as an infant to an unknown disease. Friends of my parents raised me. I inherited this manor when I turned 13. Still, I'm not the only person here." After clothing Ruby in a silk robe, he said, "Come. Let me introduce you to my family." Ruby was very curious of what his family members were.

Their first stop was the kitchen. Standing next to a counter was a female Zangoose. Clad in an apron, she seemed to be focusing. Ashton whispered to Ruby, "That is Zandria. She is the chef of the manor. She is also a bit of a showoff. Observe." A second later, Zandria catapulted a bunch of meat and vegetables into the air! She then jumped after them and began slicing away at them with her claws. A second later, she landed in front of Ashton and Ruby. The diced meat and veggies landed in neat and even piles behind her. She then stood up and bowed, "Good afternoon, Lord Ashton. Oh?" She noticed the female Lucario standing next to him. "Zandria, this is Ruby. She will be a member of the family starting today. Please be sure to make an extra batch of food for her." She bowed, "Indeed, I will. Welcome, Ruby. If you'll excuse me." Zandria went about gathering extra ingredients for dinner.

Next, Ashton escorted Ruby to a laundry room. When he opened the door, a mass of bubbles poured out, engulfing the two! After brushing the bubbles aside, Ashton walked into the bubble filled room and yelled, "Serenade! What did I say about using too much soup?" A young woman's voice called out, "Oh please, Ashton! You should know me better!" A path appeared in front of the two and a female Gardevoir stepped forward. "Ahem. Yes. Anyway, this here is Ruby. Ruby, this is my closest friend, Serenade. We were born on the same day, so she has been with me all my life. As you can probably see, she has quite a sense of humor. She also handles the laundry in the manor." She bowed, "Welcome to the Ketchum estate. I hope you will enjoy your life here, Ruby." Ruby bowed in response. Before they left to tour the rest of the manor, Ashton spoke, "Oh, Serenade? Could I trust you to wash these?" He handed her Ruby's blue shorts. "Of course. They should be clean by dinner."

Ashton led Ruby down into the cellar in the basement. When he led her to a door, he stopped, "Now, I must warn you, it is quite cold inside. Are you ready?" Ruby nodded. When Ashton opened the door, a blast of freezing wind blew him in the face, covering his face with frost! Ruby had to choke back a laugh. After a moment, a female Absol walked out of the cellar. When she noticed her master standing there half frozen, she blushed. "Lord Ashton, I'll thaw you out in a moment." She used Flamethrower to quickly thaw him out, but used low heat. "I seem to have the worst timing down here. Anyway Ruby, this is Cassandra. She preserves our unused food down here in this cellar with her Blizzard attack. She is also in charge of gardening." Cassandra asked, "I must ask, Lord Ashton, does your mercy know any bounds? She is the fifth Pokemon servant that you have purchased. Not that I mind it." He smiled, "Thank you for the compliment. Come Ruby. There is one last person I want you to meet."

Ashton escorted Ruby back up to the floor where she had bathed. "The last person I want you to meet can be hard to find. She performs her duties well, but her sense of humor is even greater than Serenade's. Now, where is she?" As if to answer his question, a bucket filled with water dropped right on his head! This time, Ruby couldn't stop herself from laughing. After pulling the bucket off of his head, Ashton spoke, "HA HA HA. Very funny, Laura. Now show yourself! I want you to meet someone!" While giggling, a Latias appeared from nowhere. "Oh Master Ashton, I just can't get enough of joking with you!" She then embraced her master and nuzzled him. After trying to pry her loose, Ashton gave up and said, "Ruby, this is Laura. She is in charge of cleaning the higher areas of the manor since she can levitate. Laura, this is Ruby. She will be with us from now on." Laura let go of her master and faced Ruby. "You are very lucky to have Lord Ashton as a master. I have never met a human more generous than him. Well, I must be going! See you at the dinner table!" With that, Laura flew down the hall and disappeared. "She's a handful. If I didn't know better, I would suspect that she has a crush on me!" Ruby giggled. "Well then, now that we have the introductions out of the way, let's show you to your room. Ruby, come." Ruby did as she was told and followed Ashton back to the same room where he first took her.

When they arrived, Ashton asked Ruby to try on the maid uniform that he showed her earlier. While Ashton looked away, Ruby removed her robe and slipped into the uniform. "Lord Ashton, I'm wearing it." He turned to face her and smiled. "It suits you well. Except one thing is missing." He pulled a small headdress out of the same drawer and placed it on her head. "Now it's complete. Take a look." Ashton pointed to a full-length mirror. When Ruby stood in front of it, she almost didn't recognize herself. She even smiled at her new look.

"Lord Ashton, Ruby, dinner is served." The two turned to see Zandria push a cart into the room. There were two metal domes covering two platters of food that smelled delectable. "Mmmmmm, that smells delicious. Zandria, may I ask what is on the menu tonight?" Ashton could almost hear his stomach growl at the aroma. Zandria grinned, "Certainly. For you, we have fresh shrimp sautéed in butter and garlic with a side dish of sautéed carrots and spinach. And for Ruby, I have prepared a roasted duck with a side dish of spinach and calamari. For dessert, we have orange sherbet. Please enjoy." Zandria opened a folding table and pulled up a pair of chairs to it. She then placed the two covered platters on the table and uncovered them, releasing a cloud of steam in the process.

Ruby couldn't help but ask, "Is that really for me?" Zandria giggled, "I made it just for you. You look like someone who likes the taste of poultry." Ruby took a seat at her meal. She was about to reach for the duck with her hands, but noticed the silverware next to the platter. Ashton spoke, "Let me show you how to use those." Taking a fork in one hand and a knife in the other, he showed Ruby how to cut and eat using the silverware. "There are exceptions for these, but silverware is used for nearly all foods." Ruby took her silverware in hand and cut a chunk of duck from the body. When she took her first bite, she began to cry at the flavor. Zandria gasped, "Oh my. No one has ever thought that my cooking was good enough to bring tears!" Ruby swallowed and replied, "This tastes much better than any food I've ever eaten. I can't describe how I feel." Taking a napkin, she wiped her tears away. Ashton smiled, "Zandria, will you leave us for a moment?" "Yes, my lord." Zandria left the room, leaving Ashton and Ruby to enjoy their dinner in peace.

After a half hour, Ashton finished his meal, but Ruby was taking much more time while trying to savor the flavor of every bite. Ashton chuckled, "You don't have to eat like this is the last time you will eat Zandria's cooking. We always eat her cooking everyday." Ruby looked up, "You mean, I can stay here?" He smiled, "Of course. What's more, this room belongs to you now. You may do as you please with it." Ruby looked down, (A room of my own. I actually own something now.) Ashton saw Ruby crying again. "Ruby. Please don't cry. I'm sure that there has been little joy in your life up till now, but there is no reason to cry now." She finally looked up at him, "Lord Ashton, I can't thank you enough. The last twelve years of my life have been filled with little more than suffering, but you didn't just end my suffering. You gave me a better life as well. I….. I…" She began crying again. Ashton stood up from his chair and walked over to Ruby. He gently picked her up in his arms and laid her down on her new bed. While embracing her, he whispered, "I know how you feel. Serenade, Zandria, Cassandra, and Laura all had this problem when I welcomed into my home at first. They all had difficult lives. I have been healing their wounds ever since. Now I must heal your wounds as well. I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you." Ruby tried to stop crying right there. After embracing her new master for a few minutes, she finally stopped crying.

Zandria came back with dessert and beverages. "I hope you don't mind some orange juice with your orange sherbet." Ashton nodded, "That's fine. I've been feeling as if I'm coming down with scurvy anyway!" Ruby didn't understand what scurvy is. However, she did enjoy the sweet and tangy flavor of her treats. Once they finished, Zandria took the plates away on the cart. A moment later, Serenade came to the room with Ruby's pants. "I apologize for taking a little longer than I claimed, but their clean now. Filthiest piece of clothing I've ever dealt with, to be honest." Ashton turned away while Ruby slipped out of her uniform and back into her pants. She marveled at how smooth and clean they were.

Finally, it was time for bed. After the oil lamps in the house were put out, Ashton came by Ruby's room to check on her with a candle in hand. "Ruby, are you awake?" There was still an oil lamp illuminating the room. She was sitting on the bed looking worried. "Good night, Ruby." Ruby looked up at Ashton and smiled back, "Good night, my lord." With that, Ashton blew out the oil lamp flame and proceeded down the hall to his room. However, he didn't go far before he heard a wail and the sound of footsteps coming his way. When he pointed his candle back down the hall, he saw Ruby running at him! She leapt into his arms while sobbing uncontrollably.

"Ruby, what is wrong? Are you hurt?" Ashton tried to calm his new servant. She calmed down enough to speak, "I was so scared. I thought I would never see you again. Please don't leave me!" Ashton couldn't help but chuckle, "Very well. You may sleep with me until you develop enough confidence to sleep alone in your own room. Come with me." The whole time they walked to his room, Ruby held Ashton's hand tightly, as if he would forever vanish into the darkness if she let go.

"Well, this is it. My bedroom." The light lit the room up enough for Ruby to see that it was about twice the size of hers. There were a few paintings of Pokemon on the walls. In fact, there were only four, and they depicted Ashton's four servants! "I painted that myself. Would you like me to paint your portrait tomorrow?" "Ruby blushed, "I would like that." Ashton set the candle on a corner table next to the bed and helped Ruby climb in. He then got in on his side and pulled the covers over both of them. He then blew out the flame, only to feel Ruby clutch him tightly. "It's all right. I'm right here. Just because you can't see me doesn't mean that I'm not there." Ruby calmed down, "Sorry. I'm fine now. Good night, my lord." Ashton threw an arm over her side, "Good night, Ruby." They fell asleep in each other's arms. However, in time, their relationship would forever change the way that humans and Pokemon coexist.


	2. Ruby meets the Rival

Ruby awoke as the sun cast its rays onto her face through the window. She had a splendid dream, the very first pleasant dream in over a decade. She gazed over at her new master. He still had his arm around her. She still found it difficult to believe that a human would treat her like an equal. She could hear birds singing outside. A new day had begun.

Ruby jumped at the sound of knocking on the bedroom door. Ashton lazily rose and said, "Who's there?" The voice of Zandria answered, "It is I." "You may enter." An aroma filled the room as Zandria pushed a cart holding two covered platters, just like the previous night. "Hmmm. I thought I would find you here, Ruby. Hope you like eggs and roasted pork." The platters contained typical breakfast foods. "Today, we have quail eggs served with pork grilled with pineapple juice with a side of oven toasted bread with your choice of fruit spread. Please enjoy." With that said, Zandria left her master and friend to enjoy their breakfast.

As they ate, Ashton asked, "Did you sleep well?" Ruby happily nodded. "You definitely seem to be in better spirit since I brought you here." After Ruby swallowed her load, she asked, "I suppose I am. May I ask you something? Why do your servants speak English instead of their native tongues?" Ashton chuckled, "Actually, Serenade learned how to speak at the same age I did. Laura also has always been able to speak English as well. However, I had to teach Zandria and Cassandra how to speak English on my own." Ruby grinned, "It must have been difficult." Ashton laughed, "They mastered it quite quickly. I think they wanted to learn how to communicate with me for a certain reason. I never learned what that reason was though." Ruby then suggested an impossible reason, "Maybe they wanted to learn how to speak to you to ask you to be their mate." Ashton nearly choked on his toast at that. "Are you all right?" Ashton pulled himself together, "I really wish that were possible." Ruby remained silent. "It pains me to say this, but Pokemon are not widely referred to as "Pokemon" by humans. They see Pokemon as underlings, as animals. Instead of Pokemon, most humans call them "Beasts." Many people in this kingdom view me as insane because of how I treat my servants. It is truly tragic." Ruby spoke after a moment of silence, "I….. Thank you for your kind words. I know I can trust you." Ashton replied, "You don't have to thank me. I just do what is right."

After they finished breakfast, the window blew open, letting in a northern wind. Ashton chuckled, "Seems that she has returned." Ruby gasped when she saw a gorgeous Suicune leap through the window! However, her mane was a deep blue instead of the typical purple color. She bowed, "I apologize for returning so late, Lord Ashton. I found a dried up spring and spent several hours filling it. Oh?" She noticed the female Lucario seated across from her master. "Ah yes. Aurora, this is Ruby. I brought her home yesterday and she will be staying with us from now on. Ruby, this is Aurora. She keeps a steady supply of water in the manor. She also helps with the hot spring we get hot water from." Aurora bowed, "Please to meet you, Ruby." "Likewise." As Ashton gathered the dirty dishes and placed them under the metal domes on the cart, he said, "Aurora, I have one last request for you. Please send word to Garyson that it is about time for our monthly duel. Tell him to be her at noon." Aurora bowed and was gone after leaping out the window.

Ruby asked, "Who is Garyson?" Ashton chuckled, "Oh, he's an old friend of mine from the academy. He is also my rival. So far, I haven't been able to beat him even once, but this time will be different." Ruby asked, "How so?" Ashton grinned, "Wait and see. I want you to accompany me. So, shall we take a walk through the garden?"

Ruby marveled at the tall bushes in the garden. They had been carefully trimmed to resemble the shapes of many Pokemon. "I see that you are quite taken with the sculpting that Cassandra did." Ruby looked at him, "Cassandra did these?" "See for yourself." Ashton pointed ahead. Cassandra was standing in front of an untrimmed bush. Then, using Razor Wind, she engulfed the bush in a whirlwind! When the wind disappeared, the bush had been cut into the shape of a Lucario! She noticed her master and friend. "Oh, Lord Ashton! Ruby! Do you like my latest work?" Ashton looked it over. "Um, I think you forgot to remove something." Cassandra looked at Ruby and back at the bush. She realized that she forgot to remove the three spikes. "Oops. One moment please." With three swings of the blade on her head, Cassandra sliced off the spikes, leaving the rest of the body intact. "Is that really me?" Cassandra nodded, "Of course it is. I make one for every newcomer to the manor." Ashton commented, "A job well done. Your Razor Wind attack never fails to amaze me, Cassandra." Ruby noticed Cassandra blush, "Thank you, My Lord. Oh, isn't it about time for your dual with Garyson?" Ashton nodded, "Indeed it is. All we have to do is wait for him to arrive. If you'll excuse me…" Ashton led Ruby back towards the front gate. A moment later, a large shadow passed over them.

"Hm? That must be Chiara." After circling for a moment, a large silver Pokemon swooped down in front of them. It was a Lugia. However, with the wings folded, she was hardly any larger than Aurora. "Lord Ash, your parcels have been delivered. Oh? Who's this?" Ashton answered, "Ah, let me introduce you. Ruby, this is Chiara. She is a Lugia I found washed up on the shoreline during a terrible storm. When I found her, I could hold her in my arms. Now look at her." Chiara blushed, "Please, my lord. I am a midget. This is as large as I'm going to get. Anyway, it is a pleasure to meet you, Ruby." They both bowed. "Now then Chiara, I have no orders for you for the day. Do as you will." She bowed, "Thank you, my lov- um, LORD!" She began to sweat as she walked inside the manor. "It's a good thing that's as large as she's going to get. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to fit through the halls." Ruby giggled at the fact that he hadn't noticed that Chiara nearly told her master her darkest secret.

Ruby asked, "My Lord, just how many servants do you have?" He grinned, "In all, there are eight people living in the manor." A moment later, a familiar human stepped through the gates of the manor. "Well Ashton, are you ready for your 30th loss?" Ashton stood up, "Not this time, Garyson! From this moment on, you won't be able to defeat me!" After a good laugh, Garyson asked, "Ashton, is that your new servant?" Ashton replied, "Indeed. Her name is Ruby. Have you brought a weapon?" Garyson drew his sword, a rapier. "I have. Where is yours'?" Ashton grinned sneakily, "You'll see. Ruby?" She walked over to him, "Yes, my lord?" He whispered, "My weapon is in my bedroom hanging on a wall. Please bring it to me. Be careful, it is quite long." Following his advice, Ruby ran back inside and into the bedroom. It didn't take long for her to notice a long flat object hanging on the wall. "I think this is it." It was quite heavy, but Ruby was part Fighting type, so her arms were able to lift it with ease. While holding it above her head, she ran back down the hall to the front door.

"Honestly, Ashton. If you can't beat me this time, I may as well stop showing up. Huh?" He saw Ruby come back out with a long object above her head. "Ah yes, that's it!" Ruby stood it up next to Ashton. Garyson stared, (Is that what I think it is?) It was wrapped in thick cloth. With a pull of the end, the whole sheath fell to the ground, revealing a Zweihander sword, a massive sword requiring both hands to lift, as well as very strong arms to swing it. This design was a Flamberge sword. Garyson's mouth dropped open, "Ashton, tell me you jest! I know you said that you were going to try something new, but you can't possibly lift that!" Cassandra showed up and freaked out, "Master! Do you really think you can even fight using that thing?" He just grinned, "Don't worry. One slash and this duel will be over."

Garyson took a stance, "Oh please! If you won't listen to reason, I'll just have to show you!" He ran towards Ashton with sword in hand. However, when he was seven feet from him, Ashton swung his sword. An instant later, there was the sound of metal shattering as Garyson fell backwards! As he tried to get up, Garyson found Ashton's sword pointed at his throat. "That makes checkmate." After accepting his loss, Garyson gathered up the fragments of his blade. "I'll never understand how you could swing something like that with only one hand, but I'm not sure if I even want to know!" They all had a good laugh.

After Garyson left, Cassandra and Ruby accompanied Ashton back into the manor while he had the Flamberge hoisted over one shoulder. Finally, Ruby asked, "Lord Ashton, how did you do that? Not even the strongest member of my clan could have swung that sword so easily!" He laughed, "You're right. I don't have nearly enough muscle mass to swing this thing, even with both arms!" Cassandra stared, "Then… How?" Ashton replied, "Do you remember that shadow warrior who visited our home a few weeks ago?" Cassandra spoke, "Oh! Do you mean the old man named Koga?" "Yes. In exchange for allowing him to rest here, he taught me a spot of 'Chakra Control'. By focusing my Chakra, whatever that is, into my arms, I can boost my strength tenfold or more." Ruby gasped, "Tenfold? That's amazing!" Ashton chuckled, "Thank you. Now, Cassandra. Please tell the rest of the girls to look after the manor for an hour. I need to visit the market for some goods." Cassandra bowed and took off down the hall. "Ruby, I want you to come with me." Ruby happily grabbed his arm as he walked out the gates and towards the market.

Ruby marveled at the variety at the market. There weren't just foods. There were weapons, tools, even jewelry. She saw most passersby stare at her. She didn't mind and stayed close to her master. However, a small gang of thugs were watching her.

After purchasing a feather duster, some fruits and meats, and a certain piece of jewelry, Ashton turned to face Ruby. However, she wasn't there. Ashton tried focusing his 'Chakra' into his ears, hoping that he would hear her voice. His mind became clouded with dread when he heard her screaming for help! Following her voice, he ran towards an empty side alley.

"Heh heh heh, looks like we found a real treat, boys!" The ringleader chuckled as he held Ruby by her ears. "Let me go! My master will probably kill you if you don't!" They whole gang laughed. "Kill us? Listen mutt, if your master had been keeping an eye on you, we wouldn't have bothered since that would have been a sign that he didn't want to lose you. Since he wasn't watching ya, he must not care what happens to you." Ruby could feel tears building in her eyes. (What if they're right? What if Lord Ashton doesn't care about me after all?)

"RUBY!" The gang and Ruby looked at the end of the alley to see Ashton glaring at them. "Well well, looks like someone changed their mind too late! Sic em, boys!" The three other thugs charged at Ashton with daggers drawn. Ashton drew a short sword from behind his cape. He didn't want to use the Flamberge just yet. He managed to hold off against the thug's daggers, but didn't notice that one of them had a small grenade in hand! As soon as the two other thugs suddenly backed away, the third thug tossed the grenade, which exploded into Ashton, knocking him down. He fell head over heels before landing on his face.

"Heh, you had your chance to go home with your mutt, punk. Too bad. It's ours now." Ruby had been overcome with desperation and managed to get loose by biting her captor's hand. "MASTER! PLEASE HOLD ON! I'M… uh….." Ruby was cut off when one of the thugs kicked her into a wall. "Stay out of this, mutt, or else….. What the….." The thugs noticed Ashton climbing to his feet. They jumped when they saw the Flamberge on his back burst into flames! When he looked at them, his eyes were filled with inhuman rage! "No….. He's… HE'S THE VULCAN WARRIOR!"

Ashton reached for the hilt of his sword and, in the blink of an eye, slashed it sideways. A second passed, and the three thugs standing in front of him ignited. They screamed in agony for a moment before being reduced to a pile of ashes. With his burning sword in hand, Ashton slowly walked toward the leader of the gang. He was frozen in place with terror. "No… Please… I'm sorry! Take your Beast back! Just don't hurt me!" Ashton stopped. After a moment of silence, he asked, "What did you call her?" The thug was silent. "No one calls my family 'Beasts' and lives!" As the thug screamed his last breath, Ashton incinerated him.

After taking a deep breath, Ashton sheathed his sword. The flames that had enshrouded it had disappeared. He turned to face Ruby. She was huddled in a corner in fear. He Ashton placed a hand on her shoulder, she looked at him. His eyes were gentle again. "MASTER!" Ruby screamed as she threw her arms around him. He whispered, "I'm sorry I took my eyes off of you. I promise to watch you always when we are in public." She cried against his chest for a moment before stopping.

Everyone Ashton passed on his way back to the manor tried to stay out of his way. Even though he had calmed down, flames flickered from his sword every few seconds. He was carrying a traumatized Ruby in his arms. He looked straight ahead without blinking once. He just wanted to get his friend home without further incident.

"*whistling* I wonder what dear Ashton is buying at the market today? He's such a gentlemen. I bet he's trying to show Ruby just how much of a pleasure it is to be around him." Cassandra was busy rearranging a flower bed as she whistled a song to herself. Just then, she heard the gate open. However, she gasped at the sight of her lord and love carrying Ruby in his arms while his clothes were singed! "Lord Ashton! What happened? Is Ruby all right?" He sighed, "I don't know. Send for Serenade. Ruby needs medical treatment." Cassandra bowed, "At once, my lord!" She burst through the front door and down the halls while shouting Serenade's name. Ashton continued to his bedroom.

"Lord Ashton, may I enter?" Serenade peaked inside her master's bedroom. "Yes, please do." Serenade walked in with a small leather bag in hand. Aside from doing laundry, she was also the manor's nurse. She walked over to Ruby, who had fallen asleep on the bed, and pulled out a stethoscope. "Her pulse is steady. I believe her injuries are minor at worst." She scanned Ruby's body with her underdeveloped Psychic powers. She breathed a sigh of relief. "She only has a minor bruise on the side of her head." After applying some special ointment, Serenade wrapped Ruby's head in a thick bandage to reduce impacts. "She will be fine. Please excuse me." Serenade left the room and proceeded to the kitchen to request some herbal tea with Ruby's meal.

After an hour, Ruby awoke to find her master sleeping behind her with his arms around her. "Master? Are you hurt?" Ashton mumbled a little and awoke. He looked like he was about to cry. He surprised her when he squeezed her against his body. "I thought I was going to lose you." Ruby whispered, "I feel fine. I'm not angry with you. I could never be angry with you." After a few minutes of gentle cuddling, Ruby brought up a question that had been bothering her all day.

Lord Ashton, could you tell me how you met all of your servants?" He grinned, "Certainly. Make sure you're comfortable. It's a long story." Excited, Ruby found a comfortable position. "As I told you, Serenade has been my closest friend since the day I was born. We were inseparable. We saw beyond our differences. When I inherited this manor, she came with me." Ruby listened to every word he said. However, Ashton seemed depressed as he continued.

"Zandria was the first servant I 'acquired' after I inherited this manor. I was taking a stroll through Green Mile, that's the name of this town, when I overheard a scuffle. When I rounded the bend, I saw a brutish looking man forcing his Machoke into mating with a female Zangoose. I was quite disgusted and kicked the Machoke off of the Zangoose before he could impregnate her. Before the man could object, I offered to purchase the Zangoose. He agreed and I took the Zangoose home with me. I taught her how to speak English and how to cook. That Zangoose is Zandria. I know she seems a bit like a tomboy, but she has very deep mental wounds. I have treated her a little better than everyone else due to her violent past. I recently celebrated her birthday. I can't describe how I felt when I saw her blow out the candles. She even went so far as to give me my first kiss." Ruby giggled as Ashton raised a hand over his mouth. "She means a lot to me, but I'm sure I mean more to her than even her own freedom."

Ruby looked at Ashton funny as he looked like he was going to laugh. "Laura came into my life next. She was causing a lot of mischief in town while trying to gather food to survive. When she was wounded and cornered, I rescued her. The next day, I'm not entirely sure what happened, but I think she tried to mate with me in my sleep. We were in an awkward position when I woke up. We couldn't stop laughing. She became almost fanatical about me since then. She is so focused on me that she sometimes forgets her duties, even going so far as to forget what she is about to say." Ruby couldn't stop laughing at that, but stopped when she heard Ashton loudly clear his throat.

"As I was saying. I met Cassandra next. I was visiting a neighboring province when a small earthquake occurred. The damage was minor, but the residents were shaken when they found an Absol near the village. Sadly, Absol have the ability to sense impending disaster. Because of this, they are widely seen as Doom bringers. Cassandra was no exception. A small number of hunters pursued her and nearly killed her. I tried to persuade the hunters to leave her alone, but they wouldn't listen. Since they were dead fixed on killing her, I….. I had no choice but to kill them first. After destroying the bodies, I carried Cassandra back home and tended to her wounds. I later taught her how to speak. We soon discovered her ability to use the Blizzard attack and her knack for creative bush trimming. She has become one of my more loyal companions." Ruby shed a tear. She understood why Cassandra blushed earlier that day. She was in love with him. And why shouldn't she be? Ashton had saved her when any other human would have let her die.

"Now, where was I? Oh yes. Next was Chiara. During a terrible storm about two years ago, less than a week before I became a knight, I was trying to get back to my manor while walking near the shoreline. I thought I noticed something wash up on the shore and went closer to see want it was. A tiny Lugia, just slightly larger than Cassandra, had been thrown onto the beach after nearly drowning. I took pity on her and carried her to my home. Over the next few days, I personally oversaw her recovery. She claimed her name was Chiara, so we've called her by that name ever since. She's grown a little bit, but she is a midget. However, that doesn't stop her from leading a happy life." Ruby felt so lucky that her master was so generous to risk his life in a hurricane.

"Lord Ashton, what about Aurora?" Ashton crossed his arms, "She is an odd one. Even though she is a Water type, she has no knowledge of swimming. She can run on water, but sinks if she stops. I found her near the same village that harassed Cassandra. They had recently suffered a flood. Thinking that Aurora caused it, they chased her towards a wide and raging river. She ran halfway across, but slowed down when she noticed that they were not following her. She fell right into the river and was swept downstream. I found her bloodied and battered near a waterfall. She had gone over it and slammed into the rocks below. I didn't think she would survive, but I managed to get her back here. Serenade and I tried hard to keep her alive. In the end, we enlisted the aid of Sabrina, a witch and forest hermit who has looked out for me since I was born. Aurora recovered and I decided to release her. There are very few of her kind in the world and every one of them is important to the world. However, for reasons she won't say, she refused to leave. I gave in and let her stay. Because she has been alive far longer than any of us, I made her the head maid. After me, she leads the household. Her wisdom is deep, so I know we can trust her." Ruby could only guess why Aurora would not want to leave Ashton. If she is so important to the world's well being, why would she give up her duties to stay with him?

Ashton finished, "Then, yesterday, I found you, Ruby." She giggled, "So that's everyone? What a history." Just then, the door opened. Zandria pushed in a cart with their meals on board. "Lord Ashton, Lady Ruby, your dinner is served. For both of you, the main course is wild turkey simmered in white wine with a lemon garnish. As a side dish, I have included a fruit salad mixed vegetables. Also, for Ruby, I have prepared some tea. Please drink it when you finish." While Ashton and Ruby enjoyed Zandria's cooking, she stayed near the door. Ashton was curious of why she had not left, but Ruby didn't pay her any mind. After eating her fill, Ruby slowly drank the tea. "Zandria, I don't know how you make everything taste so wonderful!" Zandria chuckled, "Experience, my dear. Along with Lord Ashton's lessons, my skills in the kitchen come from experience." Ruby mumbled, "Indeed, you must b…be….verrrrr…" She fell asleep. Ashton asked, "Zandria, what was in that tea?" She reassured him, "I just added some sleeping herbs. She needs her rest, according to Serenade. She will wake up in twelve hours. Please excuse me." Zandria gathered up the plates and bones and carted them of to the kitchen for cleaning and disposal.

Ashton carried Ruby down to her bedroom and tucked her in. He placed a gentle kiss on her bandaged head. "I promise to never let you out of my sight when out in public. Good night." He lit a candle and made his way down the dark hall to his room.

As Ashton got dressed for bed, he heard the door creak open. He turned and saw the face of Cassandra peeking behind it. "Cassandra? What is wrong? I don't think it's normal for you to be up at this hour." She slowly walked in. Her face was matted with tears. Ashton could tell that she was hurt, somehow. He helped her up onto his bed. "Come now, is something troubling you?" She looked at him, "I….. I'm just afraid of waking up to find you gone. I know what happened today. I nearly lost you. Some thugs in the market almost killed you." She burst into tears. Ashton knew that Cassandra was always a romantic at heart. He was also fond of her. He made her look up at him by cupping her face. To her surprise, he sealed lips with her. He ran his hands through her glossy white fur, making her sigh with pleasure.

After a moment, the two broke the kiss. Cassandra pressed against her master's chest. "Thank you. I feel so much better now." Ashton raised the covers. "If you want, you can sleep here tonight." Cassandra was happy beyond words. She eagerly slipped under the covers, letting her master drape them with it. She sighed when he wrapped his arms around her ribcage. "I promise. I will always be here for you and everyone else here. Good night, Cassandra." Cassandra cried, "Good night, my lord and love." However, Ashton had fallen asleep before he could hear the last half of her sentence. Little did they know, Ashton would find a new friend and family member tomorrow. However, her story would be the most hateful and tragic yet.


	3. The Snow Princess

Cassandra awoke at the sound of birds singing outside the window. She felt the arms of Lord Ashton embracing her from behind. She looked back at his gentle face. He was smiling as he dreamed. Her dream had been even more lovely than usual. Cassandra gently touched her most sacred spot on her body as she thought back to her dream. She could feel her master mounting her and filling her as they made passionate love. She would give anything for that dream to be a reality. She raised a paw to her lips, savoring the memory of their kiss from the night before.

"Master, I never thought it would be you who would kiss me first. Could it be that I mean more to you than you're letting on?" Cassandra looked back at her master and shook her head. She knew that he was intelligent, but was a little dense when it came to noticing the deepest desires and attractions of people. She was sure it would take some time for Ashton to truly realize her feelings for him.

Cassandra carefully slipped out of her master's embrace and quietly snuck out of the room. She was about to run down the hall to the front door when she nearly ran into Zandria, who was pushing a cart with their breakfast on it.

"Whoa! Cassandra, I swear, if you were anymore of a daydreamer, you would have made me spill both yours' AND the master's breakfast all over you!" Cassandra bowed, "Sorry, Lady Zandria! I'm just feeling very happy at the moment! Bye!" As Cassandra ran down the hall to the front door, Zandria yelled, "Wait, don't you want some breakfast first?" Cassandra replied, "I'm OK! Please place it in the freezer and I'll eat it later!" Zandria shook her head while grinning slightly. "Cassandra, you are a real bundle of energy. I have to wonder how Lord Ashton endures her."

Ashton awoke to the yelling outside his bedroom. As he got dressed in his favorite all purpose clothing, Zandria walked in with his breakfast. It was the same as yesterday. "My apologies, my lord, but we are low on stock with breakfast foods." Ashton thanked her, "Thanks for the notice. I'll order a shipment today. How is Ruby doing?" Zandria replied, "She is doing fine this morning. I think she was a little freaked out to find that you were not with her. Other than that, she enjoyed my cooking again."

Just as Ashton finished up his breakfast, Zandria asked, "My Lord, may I ask you a question?" Ashton gave her a look of interest. It wasn't normal for her to sound sincere when asking a question. "What do you think of Ruby?" He replied, "Well, she is very important to me. She is enjoyable to be around. She seems to like everyone here. Why do you ask?" Zandria blushed, "Oh, you know me! Always wanting to know everything there is to know about potential rivals! Hehehehe…" Ashton gave her a funny look, "Rivals? In what respect?" Her whole face turned as pink as a peach. Without saying a word, Zandria gathered the dirty plates and shuffled off to the kitchen, leaving Ashton puzzled.

Ashton had a hunch that he would find trouble today, so he took his Flamberge sword off the wall before he left for the market. However, when he was about to leave the manor, he felt a slight chill blow him from behind. "Is that you, Aurora?" Ashton felt her large head nuzzle his face. "Yes, it is I. May I accompany you on your errands?" He caressed her face, "Of course you may come." She stayed by his side as they walked out the door. A sudden breeze caught Aurora's deep blue mane, making it quaver more than it usually did. Ashton took this time to notice how Aurora stayed directly at his right side at all times. Could it be that she considered herself as his wife? He shook his head. Of course she didn't.

After her master and 'sister' left for the market, Cassandra went about her duties of trimming the bushes in the garden. However, she had her eyes closed, was prancing about, and sounded as if she was singing. Zandria had decided to eat her breakfast outside and noticed Cassandra using Razor Wind without even aiming! To her surprise, the Razor Wind attacks trimmed the bush sculptures with much more detail. Zandria could make out the eyes, hair, even the texture of the fur! Something must have been on Cassandra's mind that boosted her performance.

As soon as Zandria took a seat on a stone bench, she was startled by a loud squeal of giddiness from Cassandra. She was just rolling around in a flower bed. "Oh Zandria, isn't it wonderful?" Zandria gave her a glance of partial interest, "What, you flattening your flowers?" Cassandra stopped and embraced a thick patch of flowers and buried her head in them. "I can't remember the last time I felt so happy! It's such a wonderful feeling being in love! I'm so happy, I can't stand it! Oh, those gentle brown eyes. His raven colored hair. That angelic face. I want him!" Cassandra went on and on about her love while Zandria tried to deduce who she was referring to.

"Gentle brown eyes... Raven colored hair…An angelic face...?" Zandria felt a strange burning sensation in her chest when she realized who Cassandra was in love with. Cassandra noticed Zandria clutching her chest. "Are you OK, Lady Zandria?" Zandria stuttered, "Er, uh, just some heartburn. I'll be fine." She gathered her plate up and ran back to the kitchen. After that, Zandria ran to her room and locked the door.

After searching through her drawers, Zandria found what she was looking for. It was the birthday gift that Ashton had given to her. It was a special circlet with a small opal in the center. As Zandria gazed at it, she felt tears building in her eyes. "Master, the day you came into my life, I have always loved you more than life itself. I know that I can be rude at times. I sometimes argue with your other servants. Even then, I love you and I don't want to lose you to someone else. I want to be with you forever." She collapsed onto her bed while grasping the circlet, weeping bitter tears as she wondered if she would ever find love with her master.

Ashton walked through the market while keeping his left hand on Aurora. He wasn't about to let anything else happen to his loved ones after nearly losing Ruby the day before. They came to the shipping district, where Ashton made an order for food supplies. After the order was made, Ashton and Aurora decided to do some browsing through the market.

After searching through some shops and stalls, Ashton and Aurora heard the sound of an auction in the town square. As they approached the small group that had gathered in front of the stage, Ashton could hear what the auctioneer was saying, "Gather round, everyone! I have here an extremely rare Beast! A real snow wolf! Feast your eyes on it!" He pulled a curtain off of a rather small cage. While all the other viewers gasped in awe, Ashton and Aurora felt their hearts sink. Inside the cage was an albino Mightyena. However, she seemed horribly malnourished. She seemed weak and several odd-looking spots could be seen on her fur, as if there were infected wounds underneath them.

"She needs medical attention. I have to help her." Ashton stepped forward as the auctioneer tried to think up a starting bid. He yelled, "I wish to purchase that Mightyena! I offer…" Just as he was about to shout his bid, a shower of arrows were fired at Ashton from all directions! "Lord Ashton! Do not move!" Aurora dashed in front of him and used Gust to blow the arrows back at their users. Her aim was sure as the arrows ripped through the strings of the bows, rendering them useless. "Thank you, Aurora. Now, who set this up?" When he yelled that, heavy wooden gates fell in place, closing off all passages leading in and out of the square! The auctioneer laughed, "You aren't going anywhere, Sir Ashton!"

Ashton placed his hand on the hilt of his Flamberge. All the bidders turned to face him. Both Ashton and Aurora could tell by their eyes that this was a setup. "Heh, your bleeding heart would be the death of you someday, Ashton. Now that day has come!" Ashton gritted his teeth, "You put a Pokemon up for auction with the hopes that I would show up to purchase her? Monsters!" Aurora whispered, "My lord, there is something unusual about these ruffians. I can sense something….. Dark. Very dark." Ashton replied, "I know. I recognize them. They are all members of the Black Wing, rogue knights who specialize in combat on dragon back. However, newcomers must earn that privilege. Since they don't have any dragons, they must be the weakest members." This remark seemed to tick them off. "Just because we aren't allowed to ride dragons doesn't mean we can't take you down!"

The group of criminals, about twenty total, surrounded Ashton and Aurora. They all drew a wide variety of weapons. Short swords, spears, axes, wave swords, daggers, even a zweihander sword like Ashton's! Out of fear for her life, Ashton whispered to Aurora, "Aurora, please. You must escape. Your large form makes you an easy target. Go, now!" Aurora replied, "Forgive me, my lord, but I can't comply with that order. I will face these demons with you. I won't leave you now." Ashton grinned, "Heh, you always were headstrong. Fine, but keep your distance from me. This sword of mine has a long reach."

"CHARGE!" The ringleader ordered the attack on the Vulcan Warrior. In the blink of an eye, Aurora plowed right through one side of the circle of enemies with her great speed! At that moment, Ashton grabbed the hilt of his sword and performed a very wide slash, neatly cleaving about eight of his opponents in half at the waist. Even though he was still outnumbered, Ashton still held his own with great reflexes and making very frequent wide slashes to keep his enemies at bay. Aurora created a wave of water and swept some of the thugs off their feet. She then quickly froze them into the wave with an Ice Beam!

When there were just five thugs left standing, the 'auctioneer' decided to do away with the Mightyena. Ashton saw him draw a sword and face the Mightyena. As the auctioneer was about to skewer her, Ashton threw his sword at him! Without even knowing what happened, the auctioneer was impaled against a wooden pole. However, this left Ashton defenseless. Taking the opportunity, the five remaining thugs charged him.

Aurora noticed that Ashton was in no position to defend himself and used Gust to blow them into walls with great force, knocking them out cold and breaking some bones in the process. Ashton breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Aurora. It would seem that sending you away would have been a bad idea after all." Aurora blushed, "Well, you were always the brawn and I've always been the brains!" She was about to giggle, but stopped when she saw Ashton approaching the cage that held the Mightyena.

After removing his Flamberge from the body of the auctioneer, Ashton quickly shattered the cage with a single swing. Even though the Mightyena had not been injured in the fight, she was barely conscious. Ashton gently lifted her head with one hand and caressed her face. He then inspected the strange spots of fur on her body and found heavily infected open wounds under them. Oh so carefully, he sheathed his sword and picked up the Mightyena in his arms. "Aurora, we need to get back to the manor at once. I need your assistance." Understanding the situation, Aurora lowered her body so her master could mount her. Once he was seated, Aurora ran towards the manor faster than the wind. Ashton had to smash one of the wooden barriers for them to leave. After one of them had been turned into a splintered pile, the threesomes were gone, leaving a gruesome scene of death in their wake.

Atop a bell tower overlooking the town square, a lone man frowned. "Heh, I should have guessed that newcomers wouldn't have had the strength to kill him." A lone Dragonair growled deeply. "Be patient, my pet. The time will come for you to tear the Vulcan Warrior's head from his body. However, we must be cautious and plan our meeting with him carefully." Before anyone could notice the silhouette atop the tower, they were gone.

During the setup, Ruby tried on her maid uniform. Thinking that she would be charged with cleaning the manor, she searched through her room and found a feather duster. Using her acute sense of smell, she sniffed out thin layers of dust on furniture and dusted them thoroughly. When she was about to enter Serenade's room, Ruby thought it would be best to knock first. After a few taps on the door, Ruby heard Serenade reply, "Come in." Ruby greeted her, "Good day, Lady Serenade. Allow me to check for dust. Hmm? What are those?" Ruby pointed to a bunch of odd tools. Serenade explained, "These are medical tools. I'm the nurse here, so if you are hurt or sick, just come see me. Um, why do you seem confused?" Ruby joked, "Now I don't know whether I should call you Lady Serenade or Doctor Serenade!" After having a good laugh, Serenade inspected the bruise on Ruby's head. It had disappeared, so she removed the bandage.

After Serenade prepared some tea for herself and Ruby, her guest asked, "Lady Serenade, may I ask a question about Lord Ashton?" Serenade grinned, "Of course you can. I've been with him all my life, so I'm sure I know the answer." Ruby gulped. This question might be better off unasked, but she wanted to know. "Have you ever seen Lord Ashton suddenly become covered with flames? When I was kidnapped yesterday, he and his sword were engulfed with flames. He also seemed…different. Very angry." Serenade set down her cup of tea and frowned. "What you saw was his hidden power being unleashed. Ever since he was a child, he has had that power within his body. That was how he became known as the Vulcan Warrior. He has control of fire when it is active." Ruby was silent for a moment. "Lady Serenade, have you seen him like that before?" Thinking that Ruby had a right to know, she explained, "The first time I ever saw him like that was when we were just five years old. I was still a tiny Ralts at the time. That day, brigands attacked us. My parents were wounded when they tried to protect us. The brigands tried to capture us, thinking we could be sold for great profit. Ashton… He was so traumatized by the brutality towards us. He had no memory of his own family, so my parents looked after him. He was one of our own. When he stared at their unconscious bodies and heard me call his name, that's when it happened. His dormant fury was awakened and he killed the brigands with his bare hands. After that, we were all taken in by close friends of his family. It took weeks for Ashton to return to his calm, gentle self. I never wanted to see him like that ever again." Serenade placed her face in her hands and let her tears fall.

Ruby tried to comfort Serenade, "It's OK. I know how you felt. When I saw Lord Ashton look at me with those angry eyes, I honestly thought that he was going to kill me. But after he killed my captors and held me, I knew that he would never hurt me or any of you." Serenade wiped away her tears, "Thank you, Ruby. You're right, I know that even when he is at his angriest, Lord Ashton would never try to harm us. Huh?" Ruby and Serenade jumped at the sound of the front door being opened forcefully. They heard Ashton yell, "Serenade! I need your medical services!" Serenade gathered up her tools and ran down the hall with Ruby in tow.

"In here! Hurry!" Serenade and Ruby ran into the bathroom where Ashton was waiting. Serenade saw him seated near what seemed to be an albino Mightyena. She was out cold. She was also emaciated. "Lord Ashton, I must ask you to leave us. I fear I will have to operate." Ashton placed his hand on Ruby's shoulder and led her out of the room. They heard Serenade lock the door. "Lord Ashton, will she be all right?" He looked down and didn't answer. Ruby begged, "Is it bad? What happened?" He finally replied, "I'm sorry, but I really do not think that Serenade can save her. I hope she will survive, but I have my doubts." Ruby tried to remain positive, but she had a hunch that her master was right.

Ashton entered his room and shut the door. He opened a chest where he kept certain small objects. Quickly, he opened a secret compartment. Inside was a vial containing a special liquid. Carefully removing the vial from the chest, Ashton closed it and left the room. "I hope that this can save her. I have nothing else that may help." He stopped in front of the door to the bathroom and knocked. "Serenade, may I enter?" Ashton heard the lock open and entered. He felt his heart sink when he saw the infected wounds carefully cut open and drained. However, she did not seem to be doing any better.

"Lord Ashton, I fear she only has an hour to live. I'm sorry that I could not save her." Ashton held out the vial to her, "Pour this into her wounds." Serenade gasped, "My Lord, isn't that…?" He nodded, "Indeed. If we don't use this on her, she will surely perish. Please." Serenade took the potion and carefully poured it into the open wounds. After the whole potion had been used up, the wounds began to close while giving off a gentle blue glow. The Mightyena's breathing became stable. Even some of her white fur grew over the sealed wounds. Serenade breathed a sigh of relief. Her patient was going to live.

Serenade bowed, "Thank you. I'm sure she will be most grateful when she hears that you used such a precious medicine on her." To Serenade's shock, her master frowned, "Somehow, I don't think she will be happy at all. I just hope that I'm wrong. I'm going to ask Zandria to prepare a special meal for her since she seems to have not eaten in days." Serenade stayed behind to watch over the Mightyena. As Ashton walked to the kitchen, he felt immense relief that she was going to live.

As Ashton neared the Kitchen, he stopped at the sound of Zandria yelling. Was she having trouble perfecting a new recipe? She did tend to get feisty when having a hard time getting a new recipe just right. However, when Ashton got closer, he could hear her perfectly, "OK big man, TALK! What were you doing seeking in through the window?" A second later, the sound of a knife hitting wood was heard. "Still won't talk, huh? Well then, I'll have you know that I'm in the mood for a certain dish that requires human flesh. And your body seems to be just right for it." Ashton ran into the kitchen to see Zandria twirling a knife around in her left hand, the one without claws. Ahead of her was a man tied to a large wooden board with many knives outlining his body. He also noticed a certain dark spot in the center of his pants.

"Zandria, what is the meaning of this?" Zandria looked at her master, "This moron tried to ambush me by sneaking through the window. I decided to interrogate him before serving him as tonight's' meal." Ashton looked at the intruder out of the corner of his eye and saw that he was trying hard to remain calm. A sneaky smirk came across his face, "Oh, that recipe. I must admit that even though I was a little disgusted by the fact that it contained human meat, it was quite delectable. I wouldn't mind having it again." The thief began to sweat heavily at the sight of Ashton drawing his massive sword. "I like my chunks big. Allow me, Zandria." As Ashton approached the thief, he finally screamed, "All right, all right, I'll talk! Just don't cut me up into little pieces and eat me! Please!" Much to Zandria's disappointment, her master lowered his blade.

"I was ordered to infiltrate the Vulcan Warrior's home. I snuck through that window, but was captured by her." Ashton frowned. He could tell by the thief's outfit that he was another member of the Black Wing. After hearing the confession, Ashton grabbed the thief by the collar of his jacket and threw him straight out the window that he had climbed through! Zandria complained, "Oh man, I really wanted to make that dish tonight." Ashton chuckled, "Don't worry, if anymore intruders ever show up, go ahead and use them in your recipes." Zandria licked her lips at the order. Ashton added, "By the way, I need you to prepare a small dish that is highly nutritious and very filling. We have a guest who needs nourishment, but a small amount of food due to a shrunken stomach." Zandria got to work and soon had a special soup made. Ashton made his way back to the room where the Mightyena was resting.

When Ashton returned, he asked Serenade, "How is your patient?" She grinned, "Her condition is still stable." Serenade noticed Ashton holding the bowl of soup and excused herself. Ashton took a seat near the Mightyena. They were now in his bedroom. Ashton gently rubbed her head, slowly awakening his guest. "Welcome back. I hope you enjoy this soup. You need to recover your strength." However, when the Mightyena saw the human next to her, she felt intense hatred and wanted to see him dead. She began to growl fiercely and Ashton could tell. Before she could strike, he ran to the far side of the room. "Please! I only wish to help you! You must eat!"

Laura heard Ashton yelling inside his room while she was dusting some paintings in the hall. She gasped when she saw a Mightyena threatening her master. "HEY! Don't you treat my master like that!" Ashton yelled, "Laura, stay back! I can handle this!" Suddenly, the Mightyena made a lunge for Ashton! However, she fell flat on the floor with a yelp. One of her back legs was broken and wrapped in a bandage. It hurt too much for her to move, let alone stand.

Slowly, Ashton walked over to the Mightyena. She still had intense hatred in her eyes. Ashton sat down in front of her and set the bowl in between them. He spoke, "Try not to use too much strength. You are nearly starving to death. Eat this soup. You will feel much better. I promise." She relaxed slightly as Ashton used a ladle to scoop some soup out of the bowl. He filled it halfway to reduce the risk of spilling it. "Please, open your mouth." Reluctantly, she did as she was told. Ashton poured the soup into her mouth. She shuddered at the delicious flavor. It almost hurt. She slowly swallowed and opened her mouth for more. Laura giggled as her master fed their guest in such a loving manner.

Once the Mightyena finished the soup, Ashton asked, "Laura, please go find Cassandra and bring her here." Laura giggled and was gone. While Ashton waited, he gently caressed the Mightyena's head. She still looked at him with severe distrust. A few minutes later, Cassandra walked in. "You wanted to see me, my lord?" Ashton stood up, "I would like you to ask our guest here some questions about her past. I need to know what she has been through. I recommend that you speak to her in your native tongue. Please excuse me." Ashton left the room and shut the door. Cassandra walked in front of the Mightyena and lay down. "Hmmm. It's been a while since I last spoke in my native tongue. Well, here goes." Cassandra took a moment to clear her throat. She then spoke in her native tongue, "My name is Cassandra. I am a loyal servant and friend of Ashton Ketchum, the boy who helped you earlier. What is your name?" The Mightyena seemed reassured. Cassandra was a canine and a Dark type Pokemon, just like her. She replied, "I do not have a name. I have been in captivity all my life and abused constantly. Because of this, I hate humans. Your 'master' is no exception to me." Cassandra looked pained, "There is no reason for you to hate my master. He saved you when any other human would have let you die. However, if you try to harm him, I will defend him. Now, I must go." Cassandra then left the room and found Ashton right outside the door.

"How is she?" Cassandra shook her head, "She really hates you. I can't say that I blame her. She has no name and has been abused every day of her life." Ashton thanked her and opened the door. "My lord, what are you going to do?" He replied, "I am going to teach her how to speak. Have faith. Once she is fully recovered, I will release her into the wild." He shut the door as Cassandra shed a tear of pride. She was overwhelmed that her master would even give a name to someone who hated him.

Ashton took a certain book off a shelf in his room and took a seat in front of the Mightyena. "I am going to teach you how to speak English, so we can understand each other better. Ready?" The Mightyena just gave him a cold stare. A few hours later, Ashton had almost given up hope. The Mightyena hadn't even tried to learn English. "Please, if you can speak at all, if you learned even one word, please say it!" A moment of silence passed. Aston closed his eyes and placed his face of his palm. "Freak." Ashton looked up. "Did you say that?" She barked another insult, "Moron." Ashton just remained silent. She had every right to be rude to him. "Jerk. Buffoon. Weakling. Stupid!"

Ashton applauded the Mightyena's achievement. Gently, he picked her up in his arms and placed her on his bed. She had succeeded in learning the English language faster than even Zandria and Cassandra! "Miss, if you want, I can give you a name. Would you like me to do that for you?" She just stared coldly at him. Ashton thought for a moment. He looked at her fur. It was as white as snow. He knew of a nation to the northwest were there was snow all year round. They also had interesting accents and names. There was one that popped into his head. "My dear, may I call you "Laika?" She closed her eyes for a moment. Curious, Ashton crawled over to her. Sensing that he was close, she gave him an obvious answer. She licked his chin in one quick motion. Ashton grinned. He then caressed her face, even though she still glared at him.

About an hour later, Ashton consulted Serenade about a room to give to Laika as her own. "I'm sorry my lord, but we only have two remaining guest rooms. We can't afford to lose anymore." Laika felt sure that she would be forced out of the manor. She tried to not look upset, but she wouldn't last long in the wild. She lived in captivity throughout her entire life. Later, as the sun was almost out of sight, Ashton enjoyed dinner with Ruby in her bedroom. The meal they had was the same as yesterday since the new shipment of food had not arrived yet. "Lord Ashton, I'm glad to see that you saved her! Her name is Laika, right?" He nodded, "Indeed. She will be staying with us from now on. Please treat her with respect." Ruby smiled, "OK! My name is Ruby! I hope you enjoy your new life with us, Lady Laika!" Laika's ears perked up when she heard that she would be staying. But where?

Finally, everyone turned in for the night. Ashton tucked Ruby in and stayed by her side until she fell asleep. He then blew out the oil lamp in the room and headed for his room with a candle in hand. Laika was by his side. When they were right outside Ashton's bedroom, she asked, "Master, you said I would be staying with you. So where will I be staying? In a dog house?" Ashton grinned softly, "Of course not. You will sleep with me." She couldn't believe what she heard. Ashton opened the door and walked over to his side of the bed. However, Laika lay down in front of the bed. To her shock, she felt Ashton pick her up in his arms and set her on the bed. He then pulled the covers over both of them. "Why? Why is he treating me like an equal? I just can't understand it! Is he mocking me?" Many feelings of anger, hatred, confusion, and sorrow flooded Laika's mind. Suddenly, she felt her master embrace her from behind. He whispered, "I view you differently from other humans. I know that you are a person. Your days in sorrow and pain are over. I promise to fill your life with kindness and respect. Good night, Laika."

As Ashton slept with Laika firmly wrapped in his arms, Laika pondered these new feelings in her heart. No human in her life had ever shown her such kindness and acceptance. He even risked his life to save her from her captors. Out loud, she whispered, "Thank you….." A single tear trickled down her muzzle. She soon fell asleep. But just before that, Laika, for the first time in her life, smiled…..


	4. Freedom or Desire, Laika's Dilemma

"Where am I?" Laika wondered as she walked through what seemed to be a dark forest. She noticed that her once broken leg had healed and could function normally. Wanting to leave this creepy forest, she continued on straight ahead. However, again and again, Laika kept coming back to the same area. Nothing changed, even though she had been going in a straight line.

"This has to be a dream. It just has to be." Just then, Laika shuddered at the sound of evil cackling. It was a sound with which she was intimately familiar with. The cruel laughter of her many masters. "No… Stay away!" A few moments later, multiple human figures arose from the shadows. "Come back to us… little whelp…" Laika was terrified, "No! Leave me alone! Where is he? Lord Ashton? Please!" As the laughter grew louder and closer, Laika collapsed and covered her face with her paws. "I want to be free… Just…just leave me alone…"

A second later, Laika heard the recognizable sound of flesh being torn and the screams of her captors. After waiting for the sound of their bodies to hit the ground, Laika raised her head and looked around. Then, she saw him. A lone human male was standing with his back turned to her. He held a massive zweihander in his right hand. A moment later, Laika saw him turn his head to look over his shoulder at her. Even through the darkness, Laika could see his fierce, but gentle brown eyes. Suddenly, he made a dash through the forest. Desperately, Laika tried to keep up, not knowing where she was going.

"Idiot. Why would he run? Why didn't he kill me too?" Laika thought to herself as she raced through the forest. Suddenly, she burst out of the forest and into a clearing. A gentle stream was flowing by her while a small waterfall ahead fed it. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and there was a full moon out that night. As Laika's vision trailed off from the sky, she saw the same young man who saved her standing next to a tree. Ever so cautiously, she approached him, ready to attack if need be. When she got within twenty feet from him, the young man turned to face her.

"Welcome. Did those ruffians harm you, Laika?" She recognized the face and voice immediately. "Ashton…" He took a seat next to the tree and looked to the sky. Laika, exhausted from her sprint, took a seat next to him. It was then that she noticed a swarm of fireflies dancing around the clearing, making the view even more beautiful.

Several moments passed before Laika decided to thank her savior. "Ashton…" He looked at her with concern. She continued, "I…I don't know how to say this, but… Back there… Thanks…" He grinned and gently stroked her head. "I never expected to hear that from you. Perhaps I should return the favor." Laika's ears perked up. "What do you…?" Laika was cut off when Ashton gently grasped her lower jaw with his hand. "I meant this." While cupping her face, Ashton sealed lips with the young Mightyena.

Laika was overcome with shock and disbelief, "This isn't right! No human could ever feel this strongly about me! Why! Why is he doing this?" Laika struggled to break free from Ashton's grasp, but her body just didn't appear to want to. Slowly, she became more and more relaxed. She even began to enjoy it. Her eyes began to close as her tongue slipped into the mouth of her master. For a moment, they danced with each other as their saliva mixed. His saliva was warm and had a strong, but enjoyable flavor. All too soon, their kiss ended, leaving Laika craving more.

For a moment, Laika gazed into Ashton eyes with her own red and yellow eyes. "That…That was the most wonderful feeling I've ever had. It seemed so wrong, but…it felt so right. I have always hated humans, but why did Ashton do that even though he knew about it?" Ashton spoke first, "Are you all right?" At first, Laika was silent. After a moment, she stood up and turned away from him. "Laika…?" She looked back at him. After another moment of awkward silence, she raised her tail as high as she could. Laika could see Ashton's face turn a bright red. Slowly, he nodded and began to remove his clothing.

As Laika looked ahead and closed her eyes, she wondered, "What do I do? My instincts tell me to run, but I want him to take me..." As she pondered her next move, Laika felt Ashton's hands grip her shapely hips. She felt him gently caress them before gripping them tightly. Then, oh so slowly, she felt him push into her. Laika's mind became overwhelmed with waves of pleasure. All of her hatred became suppressed as her master began to pull in and out of her with such gentleness, she knew that he cared for her on a greater level that no one else did.

Without warning, a steady stream of tears began to flow from Laika's eyes. This new feeling was so alien and wonderful, she didn't want it to ever end. All her years of suffering. All those years of pain and neglect. She would frequently wonder if she would ever find her life mate. After several unforgettable minutes, Laika felt her inner walls clamp around her master. With a groan, Ashton filled her womb with his seed as she howled in ecstasy. Slowly, he pulled out of her and collapsed at her side.

Laika felt heavy with life as she lay down next to her mate. After a moment, he looked at her with a look of exhaustion and satisfaction. "Did…did you enjoy it?" Laika still had tears falling from her face. Knowing what she wanted, she suddenly sealed lips with a very surprised Ashton, intertwining her tongue with his. A moment later, they broke the kiss and embraced each other.

Laika awoke to the aroma of freshly prepared breakfast foods. A voice she knew well spoke, "Good morning, Laika. I trust you had a pleasant dream?" She looked around and saw Ashton seated near a small table with Zandria standing next to him. "Well, are you hungry or not?" Laika tried to stand up, but her broken leg prevented her from doing so. Ashton sighed, "Zandria, would you leave us, please?" Before replying, Zandria flashed a glance at Laika that translated, "Try something and you're dead." Laika remained silent. Zandria placed their breakfast on the table and bowed to Ashton before pushing her cart out the door and closing it.

Ashton carried their dome-covered meals over to the bed. Laika looked at him with cold eyes, but they seemed warmer than yesterday. Ashton placed Laika's breakfast in front of her and lifted the metal dome off, releasing a cloud of steam in the process. Laika was stunned by the variety. There were quail eggs, roasted pork, fried potatoes, and a bowl of orange juice. Ashton laughed, "More than you expected? Zandria knows that it's safe for you to eat a full meal now." She snorted. Since Laika had no hands, Zandria had prepared everything in a fashion that allowed her to eat without making a mess.

Outside, Cassandra was busy gardening after just finishing breakfast. Like the day before, she had a special dream of her and Ashton making love. Due to this, she was putting an abnormal amount of gusto into her work. "Oh Ashton… Why do you have to be so perfect? You and me… Our children would be the most gentle and beautiful children in all the land…" She soon decided to rest in a flowerbed of violets.

Just as Cassandra was beginning to yawn, she spotted something glisten in the air. She just managed to evade the object, a kitchen knife! "A knife? Who... AHH!" Cassandra was soon being barraged by a rainstorm of small knives from above! She ran through the garden while evading and deflecting knives. When she had the chance, Cassandra noticed that the knives seemed to be coming from the roof of the manor. Quickly, she ducked behind a bush she had sculpted. It was too thick for the knives to cut through. Cassandra took a moment to catch her breath and noticed that there was no sound of knives hitting the bush. "That was close. I hope who ever was throwing those isn't after Ashton."

After waiting a minute, Cassandra peeked behind the broad square base of the bush sculpture to see if anyone was there. From the ground to the roof, there was no one there. Suddenly, Cassandra heard quick light steps in the grass behind her! She dodged to the left as her assailant thrust its claws into the base! It turned and glared at Cassandra with its fierce pink eyes.

"Zandria?" Cassandra couldn't understand why Zandria had just tried to kill her! Without answering, she removed her claws from the base of the bush and began swiping away at Cassandra! Cassandra managed to blow Zandria away with a Razor Wind. While Zandria climbed to her feet, Cassandra yelled, "Why Zandria? Why did you do that?" To Cassandra's shock, she saw tears falling from her eyes. "I know who it is you plan to mate." Cassandra was silent. Zandria continued, "Well, I won't let you take Ashton away from me! I love him more than my own freedom! If you try to stop me, I'll have to kill you!" She then extended her right hand and pointed her claws at Cassandra.

At first, Cassandra just stood there. She had her head tilted downwards. "Ashton…You are the most loving, gentle, and handsome male of any specie I've ever laid eyes on. I want to be a loving wife to you and a caring mother to our children. But if I let you go now, that will never happen. So..." Zandria tapped her foot impatiently. "So, what is your decision, Cassandra? Hm?" Cassandra raised her head and looked directly at Zandria. Her eyes were filled with a type of determination that Zandria had never seen before. "Zandria… I know you love Lord Ashton deeply and truly. However, I do as well. I intend to bear his children some day, but if you become his mate, I will never become a mother to them. I'm sorry, but if you want to become Lord Ashton's mate, you will have to go through me first!" Cassandra cocked her head so that the blade on the side of her head was angled forward. Zandria yelled, "So be it! Bring it on!"

As Laika finished her breakfast, Ashton asked, "So, Laika, how is your leg healing up?" Laika looked back at her leg. She had completely forgotten about it. It was still wrapped in a tight bandage. "Here, let me get that for you." Ashton gently unwrapped Laika's leg. Once the bandages were off, he asked, "Try standing up." Very slowly, Laika rose to her feet. She expected to feel a sharp pain like the day before, but was surprised to not feel any pain at all. "Hm, it would seem that Serenade used Recover to repair the damages to your bones." Laika flexed her legs as she stretched. It was fully healed.

While Ashton read a message that was sent to him, Laika began to take a stroll around the room. She noticed the paintings of five of the ladies living in the manor. Did Ashton paint them himself? Once Ashton had finished reading his message, he looked at Laika out of the corner of his eye. He grinned slightly when he saw Laika show a rare smile. "She seems cold, but she does have a good heart." Suddenly, someone began pounding on the bedroom door! When Ashton answered it, he saw Ruby looking out of breath.

"Ruby, what's wrong?" Once she caught her breath, Ruby explained, "Lady Cassandra and Lady Zandria are outside fighting! I tried to calm them down, but they won't listen!" Ashton was shocked, "Zandria? What has that tomboy done this time? Ruby, watch over Laika. I'll handle them." Ashton grabbed the Flamberge off the wall and ran down the halls and out the front door. When he rounded the corner to the side of the manor, he stopped dead in his tracks. "Guh….. What the…!" The garden was a complete mess. Most of the bush sculptures had been messily decapitated and some of the flowerbeds were uprooted. There were also many kitchen knives sticking out of the ground. With a nervous twitch in his eye, Ashton noticed that he had dropped the Flamberge. After picking it up, he laughed, "Heh, I can't wait to hear their excuse for this!"

Ashton could hear the sound of combat as he approached the rear of the manor. Sure enough, as soon as Ashton rounded the corner, there they were. Zandria was trying to slash at Cassandra with her claws while Cassandra used the curved blade on her head as a weapon. She would also try to slash at Zandria with her long and wide blade-like tail, which glistened silver, like a sword. Whenever they would stop for a second, Ashton could see great anger in their eyes. After they were blown away from each other by simultaneous blows, the two Pokemon charged at each other. However, just before they reached each other, a large blade smashed into the ground in between them! The shockwave was strong enough to knock them off their feet.

"Oof! Who….. Oh no…" Zandria froze at the sight of her master and love standing in between her and Cassandra with the Flamberge resting in his hand. A moment of silence passed before Ashton asked, "Now, why did you girls make a mess of the garden?" Cassandra's eyes went wide with disbelief, "We did what?" Ashton shook his head, "Don't tell me you were not even aware of what was around you?" The two girls remained silent. "Tch, come with me." Both girls gulped in fear of what was around the corner.

As soon as Cassandra saw the destruction she and Zandria did to the garden, she let out a scream. "NOOOOOOOO! I can't believe I did this to my beautiful garden! NO NONONONOOOOOO! I'M SO SORRY!" Ashton took a look at the bush sculptures. "Hmmm, at the very least, I think I can restore those." Zandria asked, "Just how will you do that?" Ashton yelled, "Cassandra, get over here!" In tears, Cassandra shuffled over to her master. Once she was out of the garden, Ashton took several steps forward and gripped the Flamberge in one hand while making some sort of hand sign with the other. Zandria wondered, "Could it be that Koga taught him more than just basic Chakra Control?" In a moment, she had her answer. Ashton grabbed the Flamberge's hilt with both hands and yelled, "Ninja Art!" Then, as he swung it forcefully, he added, "Wind Scythe Jutsu!" To Zandria and Cassandra's disbelief, a wind storm formed throughout the garden! Soon, they could hear the sound of slashing as blades of air cut away at the large bushes. When the sound of whistling wind ended, they marveled at the restored forms of the bush sculptures. Every last one of them had been trimmed to perfect detail! Cassandra ran up to her master, stood on her hind legs, and embraced him with her forelegs. Over and over, she kept weeping, "THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!" Judging by her shock at the state of the garden, Ashton concluded that Cassandra didn't start the fight.

"Zandria." Nervously, she approached Ashton. "Y…yes, my lord?" Ashton gently pried Cassandra's arms from his waist. "I would like to speak with you in private. Come with me. Cassandra, you stay here and tend to the flower beds." Cassandra bowed and began to replant the flowers that had been uprooted. With a sinking feeling in her gut, Zandria followed Ashton into the manor.

After putting the Flamberge back in his bedroom, Ashton led Zandria to her own bedroom and locked them both inside. Ashton pulled up a chair while Zandria took a seat on her bed. After a moment of silence, Ashton asked, "Zandria, I know that you have a competitive nature, but that is no excuse for attacking Cassandra. Why did you try to harm her?" Zandria felt intense guilt. She desperately wanted to confess her feelings to the young man she loved, but she knew it was also a forbidden love. If she was to have sexual relations with Ashton and the people in Green Mile discovered it, she could be killed. At last she spoke, "With all due respect, Lord Ashton, I can not tell you my reasons. True, I attacked Cassandra for selfish reasons, but I just can't tell you why. Please forgive me." Ashton could tell by her sincerity that Zandria was being 100% truthful. "Very well. You don't have to tell me the details, but I don't want to see you brawling with any other members of the family. You must treat your 'sisters' with respect. Do I have your word?" Zandria bowed, "I promise. I won't allow my emotions to get the best of me ever again." With a grin, Ashton gently scratched Zandria's furry little head, making her purr with approval.

After his talk with Zandria, Ashton went back to his bedroom to check on Ruby and Laika. He found them resting on his bed while conversing. "Well, hello ladies. Seems like you're enjoying yourselves." Ruby replied, "Yep! Lady Laika seems to like you now, Lord Ashton!" Ashton glanced at Laika. She had a cold look in her eyes, but it obvious she was trying not to smile. "I see. Well, I have some errands to run. Would you girls like to accompany me?" Ruby jumped right off the bed, "Oh yes! Where are we going?" Ashton chuckled, "Oh, you'll see! What about you, Laika?" With a yawn, she answered, "I guess… I could use some fresh air." With a bound, she was on the floor too. Ashton said, "Very well. Now then, we only need to find Chiara and we'll be on our way." As Ashton walked down the hall to Chiara's bedroom, Laika asked, "Who's Chiara?" Ashton answered, "She is the manor's messenger. If need be, she may serve as a form of transportation. Well, here it is."

Ashton tapped on the door a few times. A second later, a seductive voice replied, "Come in." Ruby asked, "Lord Ashton, are you sure this is Lady Chiara's room? That sounded more like Lady Laura." Ashton replied, "I…..think this is Chiara's room." Slowly, he opened the door. Sure enough, lying on her back with her head hanging off one side, was Chiara. As soon as she saw Laika and Ruby with him though, she immediately rolled over off the bed and onto her feet. "Oh, uh, Lord Ashton! I thought you were alone!" She suddenly noticed Ruby giggling. She knew that Chiara had been laying upside down like that in the hopes that Lord Ashton would come in alone and mount her. Ashton laughed, "Well, I was, but Ruby and Laika want to come along today." The midget Lugia was hesitant, but said, "Very well, but it will be difficult for all three of you to hold on. Let's go outside then." In single file, the three followed Chiara down the hall and out the front door.

Once they were outside, Chiara asked, "Ruby, Laika, is this your first time flying?" The two nodded. "Well, you had best hold on tightly to my dorsal fins. Ready?" One by one, Ashton and his two servants climbed on board Chiara's back. It was indeed a tight fit. "Now then, where do you want to go today, Lord Ashton?" Ashton replied, "I need to visit Sabrina's dwelling." Chiara replied, "Understood. Now, hold on!" With a strong flap of her wings, Chiara became airborne. Almost immediately, Ruby became nervous and giddy. Soon, the four were soaring through the sky to the south, over Green Mile. Loudly, Chiara spoke, "Sabrina is a forest hermit who lives in the Black Woods to the south. It is believed that the forest is haunted, so most folks try to avoid it. She is extremely skilled in medicine and is said to be psychic." Ashton applauded, "Chiara, ever the scholar!"

Back at the Ketchum estate, Laura was going about her duties of restoring the artwork throughout the manor and cleaning the chimney. Just after finishing cleaning the chimney, she decided to pull a little prank. Covered in soot, Laura flew around to the front door and knocked loudly. However, as she waited, Laura's nose began to itch. She tried her best to not sneeze, but it was unavoidable. As soon as the door was opened, she let loose with a mighty sneeze. Most of the soot was blown off of her in all directions. When she opened her eyes, Laura had to choke back a laugh at the sight of Zandria's front side being covered in soot!

"*hack* Laura! Wha…*hack* what was that for?" Laura giggled loudly for a moment before replying, "Heeheehee, sorry! I was just cleaning out the chimney, so some soot got up my nose, I guess! I better go wash up now! Bye!" Before Zandria could object, Laura flew down the halls to the bathroom. At the top of her lungs, Zandria yelled, "What about me? I'm filthier than you are, all thanks to you!"

After closing the door and locking it, Laura turned the handle for hot water to fill the marble bathtub. Soon, the whole room was filled with steam. Slowly, so as to not burn herself, Laura submerged her sooty body. "Hooooooo, Lord Ashton's parents knew what they were doing when they built the manor near hot springs!" Using some soap, Laura began to scrub all the remaining soot from her white and yellow feathers with her claws. Once she was free of any soot, she just decided to relax in the tub for a while.

After a few minutes passed, Laura came up with an idea. She closed her eyes and, using her keen psychic abilities, created a dream world on the lids of her eyes. She saw the young man she was oh so madly in love with, Lord Ashton. He was completely nude; a state Laura had seen him in only once. When he turned to face her, Laura felt her heart leap. He slowly approached her and embraced her. She gently whispered into his ear, "Please, Lord Ashton. Please mate with me. Please, be my first…" He pulled his head away from her face and looked at her for a moment. Then, he surprised her by pressing his lips against her own. Instinctively, Laura slipped her tongue past her lover's lips and closed her eyes as she swirled her tongue around Ashton's, trying to get to know him as much as possible. After a moment, they broke the kiss and Laura tightly embraced her master.

Soon, Laura gave Ashton a look of pure lust. She also felt his member pointing up past her feet. Suddenly, she noticed her own bed behind her. Embracing Ashton again, she fell backwards onto it, pulling Ashton down on top of her. When he looked at Laura again, Ashton knew what she wanted. Laura closed her eyes again, waiting for the moment of penetration. The instant she felt him enter her, a sudden banging sound woke her up from her trance, ending her dream vision.

"HEY, LAURA! Are you done yet?" Laura recognized it as Zandria's voice. "Awwwww, and I was so close too." Zandria banged on the door again, "Hurry up! I'm a lot worse off than you are!" Laura yelled back, "Just give me a minute, I need to dry off!" She grabbed a cotton towel and wrapped herself in it. As soon as Laura opened the door, Zandria barged right past her and jumped into the bathtub, which was still full. Laura shut the door, knowing that Zandria liked her privacy. "Someday…Yes. Someday, Lord Ashton will…Oooooohhhh…It's not like me to be so sentimental!" Laura flew down the hall towards her room. She was in the mood for a nap.

"Brace yourselves! We have arrived." Chiara alerted her passengers of their approach of the Black Woods. Soon, they smashed through the thick canopy and dropped rather nosily to the ground. Very little sunlight was getting through the leaves on the trees. It truly gave the impression that dark forces were at work. Chiara stopped herself from hitting the ground too hard with her psychic powers. After lowering a wing to the ground, Chiara said, "Lord Ashton, we have arrived." A slightly muffled voice answered, "Mmmph, I know." Curious, Chiara turned to face Ashton once he was on the ground and covered her mouth with her large hands. Ruby had climbed on top of Ashton's head and wrapped her arms and legs around his face while Laika was clutching his leg! They both looked quite traumatized. "Please…..don't laugh…" Chiara, trying not to laugh, commented, "Oh my, are they going to be fine?" Ashton sighed, "Let's just continue to Sabrina's dwelling and hopefully, these two will have snapped back to their senses. Please, lead on." Chiara nodded and headed in the direction of Sabrina's dwelling while Ashton lumbered through the brush with Laika weighing down his leg.

After trekking through the forest for a few minutes, they came upon Sabrina's dwelling. It was a quaint little cottage that had been completely overgrown with vines. Anyone who looked at it would instantly think that it may be a den to monsters, but not Ashton. However, when he approached the entrance, he barked, "That's it! Both of you get off! NOW!" Ashton tried to shake Laika from his leg while attempting to pry Ruby loose from his head. When they still wouldn't budge, he came up with a clever idea. He closed his eyes. Soon, flames, just like before, began to enshroud his body. However, they didn't even touch Laika or Ruby. Soon, Ashton's entire body began to heat up. As soon as it reached a certain temperature, like that of a metal spoon being taken out of a pot of boiling water, the two girls snapped to their senses and dropped off of Ashton with a shriek! "Owowowow! What was that for?" Ruby looked at Ashton with a gaze of hurt. Ashton knelt down and gently stroked her little head, "Sorry, but I had to do something to make you come to your senses. Was the flight here really that scary?" Ruby blushed, "Yes, it was very scary. I thought I was going to fall off." Laika remained silent, even though she had been equally terrified.

"Don't be shy. Come with me." Ashton led the three ladies into the well-disguised home of Sabrina. Just past the door, Laika and Ruby were surprised by the interior. There were many beakers in metal frames being held over small flames. There were many silk curtains hanging. Just ahead, there was a staircase leading down into a lower room. There was also the sound of glass striking glass.

"Don't touch anything." Ashton led his servants over to a desk near the stairs and rang a bell that was on it. Shortly after that, footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs. Soon, a hooded woman stood before the desk with a vial containing a steaming concoction. She had stern black eyes and an emotionless face. After gently setting the vial down, she lowered her hood, revealing her long black hair. Her skin was slightly pale, but she showed a slight grin when she looked at Ashton.

"It is good to see you again, Ashton." Ashton nodded, "Glad to see that you are doing well, Sabrina." She looked behind Ashton and noticed the three females. "Lady Chiara, I trust that you and your 'sisters' have been performing your duties well?" Chiara bowed, "Indeed." Sabrina then asked, "Ashton, who are those two?" Ashton chuckled, "Oh right, let me introduce you. This is Ruby, a Lucario from the Far East. I got her from a merchant a few days ago. This is Laika, a Mightyena that I rescued from some ruffians yesterday. She harbors deep hatred towards humans, so don't be surprised if she says anything harsh." Laika flashed a cold glare at Sabrina, only to realize that Sabrina seemed to be immune to such gestures.

"Now then, let's get down to business." Sabrina interrupted, "You need not say anything, I know why you are here." Sabrina handed him the vial she had carried upstairs with her. "Hmmmm! I suppose you really are psychic!" Ruby asked, "What is it? It looks pretty!" Chiara explained, "That particular potion is known as Heaven's Mercy. It was used to heal Laika's wounds when Lord Ashton brought her in. An unbelievably powerful remedy, it destroys any and all harmful bacteria and diseases as well as promotes healing. The recipe for it is a fiercely guarded secret since it is so powerful." Sabrina grinned, "Well done. You truly are the brains of the Ketchum estate." Having acquired what he needed, Ashton said his farewells and left the lab.

Once outside, Ruby exclaimed, "Lady Sabrina is very pretty! How old is she?" Ashton covered his mouth for an instant after suppressing a laugh. "Usually, it's rude to ask a woman her age. But if you must know, she is just under 30 years. She has looked after me since I was born, you know." Ruby blushed, "Right, I remember now!" Chiara lowered a wing so her three passengers could board her. Once they were seated, Ashton warned, "This time, I will be the one who holds on to anyone. Let's go home, Chiara!" First, Chiara used her psychic powers to levitate herself above the treetops to avoid any collisions with the trees. Then she began to soar through the sky with her wings. This time, Ashton wrapped his arms around Ruby and Laika tightly before they could freak out.

That night, Cassandra just finished her dinner when she heard a knock on her door. She was surprised to find Zandria holding a tea kettle. "Zandria?" Quietly, she asked, "May I come in?" Cassandra nodded and nudged the door open wider to allow her in. Zandria gathered up Cassandra's dirty dishes and placed them on a cart just outside the door. Afterwards, she pulled up a chair to Cassandra's bed. "Would you…..care for some tea?" Suspicious, Cassandra agreed. Zandria laid out a small tea set on an end table near the bed and poured them both some tea. Using her three claws on one paw, Cassandra could maneuver them through the teacups' handle and hold it much like a human could.

As Cassandra rested on her bed, she decided to ask Zandria why she was treating her to tea. "Zandria, why are you serving me tea at this hour?" Zandria set her cup down. "What I did to you today? Well…..it's not easy for me to say this, but…..I'm sorry." Cassandra was silent. "My feelings for Lord Ashton just got out of hand. I couldn't bear the thought of losing him forever. He saved me from the harsh life of a 'breeder' and helped me find my calling. I know I can't repay him for his mercy, but I hoped that someday…just someday….. I could give birth to his children and continue the family." Cassandra giggled, "You know, I think, as a matter of fact, you would make a great mother and mate!" Zandria looked at Cassandra with surprise, "You think so?" Cassandra nodded, "Yes, but still, I too don't even want to imagine losing him to another girl. He saved me from hunters who thought I caused harm to their home. I often wonder what my children would be like if Lord Ashton was to take me." Zandria sighed. Cassandra always was quite the romantic. She would also make a loving mother and wife.

After a few minutes of calm chatting, Zandria exclaimed, "Yeah, I know we two girls are madly in love with the same angel of a man, but Cassandra, Lord Ashton is the only one who can decide who he will marry. It could be you, me, or any other female in the whole village." Cassandra agreed, "I know. We're rivals, but only Lord Ashton can choose. Thank you for the tea, Zandria." Zandria stood up and bowed, "It was my pleasure. Good night." Zandria gathered up the used teacups and kettle and carried them out and placed them on the cart. "Oh, Zandria!" She quickly looked back into Cassandra's room. Cassandra smiled, "I accept your apology. Just remember though, I won't surrender Lord Ashton to you!" Zandria grinned and closed the door before carting away the dishes before turning in for the night. "Neither will I, Cassandra."

Shortly before midnight, Laika was taking a stroll through the front yard. The fresh night air refreshed her mind. There were hardly any clouds in the sky and it was a full moon tonight too. Every once in a while, Laika would think back on her life, going from owner to cruel owner. She was never fed enough and rarely received medicine when she became ill. But more than anything, she thought about Ashton. Why did he risk his life to save her when any other human would have let her die? It vexed her to no end. The dream she had the night before only confused her more. That dream…..an impossible fantasy… No human would ever feel that way about her.

A sound above Laika caught her ear. It sounded like footsteps. Her ears lay back against her head and she slunk low to the ground. When she looked up, a heavily cloaked figure leapt from the rooftop of the manor! It landed lightly, hardly making a sound. Its scent was very strange, like a variety of spices, possibly to hide its identity. Laika growled, "What do you want? Did you come here to take me back to my masters?" The mysterious human remained silent. After a moment, it raised its hands together to form a type of hand sign. After a moment of silence, he spoke with a creepy voice, "Ninja Art of Beast Mimicry." Laika noticed his fingernails elongate and seemed to look like claws. He lowered his upper body to the ground. "All Fours Jutsu." The mysterious man was now on all fours, like a wild beast. "I will feast on your flesh."

With a roar, the assailant charged at Laika and tried to take a swipe at her with his claws! She managed to evade him, but his newly acquired beastly prowess made him hard to keep up with! At one point, he actually succeeded in biting Laika on her rump! Even his teeth had changed, into fangs! "Grah, HEY! You little… I'll kill you!" As the cloaked figure made a lunge at Laika, she let out a Roar! The powerful soundwaves blew him head over heels backwards! However, the assailant used the added distance to use a new type of attack. As he ran towards Laika, he began to spin at high speeds, like a drill. "Piercing Fang!" Around and around, the assassin flew, clawing and slamming into Laika whenever possible. He appeared to be a small black whirlwind!

As Laika was being pounded and knocked around, she started to get a feel for the assassin's movements. Less and less often, the cloaked figure managed to strike her. Eventually, he could no longer touch her as Laika ducked and dodged her way through the assassin's attacks! At last, she saw an opportunity. As the assailant closed in on her, Laika fired a potent Shadow Ball squarely into his body! A black explosion sent the human into the stone wall of the manor headfirst! A sickening crack was heard before the assassin fell to the ground, his back leaning against the wall. Laika snorted, "Weakling. I will never again bend to any human's will."

Curious, Laika made her way over to the seemingly unconscious body of her attacker. When she got close, Laika could smell blood. The impact must have opened a wound on his head. When she was right next to him, Laika slowly pulled the hood backwards to see the face of her assailant. When she saw his face, there was an audible gasp as she quickly backed away. The still conscious human, blood trickling down his face, spoke, "Well done, Laika. You passed."

Laika's mind was filled with confusion and pain. "Lord Ashton…..why?" Ashton grinned, "I'm sorry if I hurt you back there. I just wanted to see if you could fend for yourself against wild beasts in the wild. The Ninja Art of Beast Mimicry allows me to fight with the primal instincts of many kinds of beasts, so it was a real simulation of an attack by a hungry animal." Laika asked again, "But why? Why did you…?" Ashton explained, "Do you remember yesterday? I promised to release you into the wild once you were well enough. You will thrive in the Black Woods. Head south, before the sun rises. There are no hunters out and no humans will ever think about going into the Black Woods to find you. Now, go." Laika just stood there for a moment, then walked over to Ashton and rested her head against his chest. "No." Ashton was stunned, "What? I thought you hated humans, which you never wanted to see again. This is your chance to be free forever. Why do you refuse?" Laika looked into his eyes, "Because, this is my home now. When you attacked, and I still did not know that was you, I really was not concerned about my own survival. I feared for your safety. I wanted to protect you, the same way you protected me. I will not leave. I want to stay here." Ashton was still silent. Soon, Laika began to lick the blood from Ashton's face. He surprised her by embracing her. "I understand. I will assign you as guardian of the estate. Should there be any intruders, it will be up to you to deal with them. OK?" Laika coolly nodded, "Agreed."

After visiting Serenade to bandage up his head, Ashton prepared for bed. Once in bed, Laika jumped up with him. "As guardian of the estate, it is my duty to stay close by at all times, right?" Ashton gave her a grin, "Well, sure, I guess." Ashton raised the covers for Laika, who slid under them next to her master. "Laika, do you want your own room? I can arrange for it." Laika shook her head, "No. I want to stay with you while you sleep so no one can sneak up on you in the night." Ashton scratched her head, "Thank you." He then blew out the candle next to the bed. After embracing her from behind, Ashton whispered, "Sweet dreams, Princess of the snow." He couldn't tell through the darkness, but that comment made Laika blush heavily. Soon, she fell asleep with a gentle smile on her face. A few minutes later, while still asleep, Laika whispered, "Lord Ashton…..I love you…" However, the next day, Ashton would be fighting for his life, and there would be nothing that Laika could do to defend him.


	5. Reopened Wounds

The sun had begun to rise over the town of Green Mile as the townsfolk began to wake from their nightly slumber. In the Ketchum estate, Zandria was busy preparing breakfast for everyone in the manor. One she had filled up the cart with trays for everyone, she set out down the hall. However, when she arrived at Cassandra's room, she stopped at the sound of strange moans coming from within. To get a better listen, Zandria pressed her ear against the door.

"Oooooo…yes…Lord Ashton…that's it…harder…harder…take me…please!" Zandria panicked at what she was hearing and burst into the bedroom. "Lord Ashton! I love you more than she does!...wha…?" Zandria stood there aghast at the sight of an embarrassed Cassandra with her right paw inserted in her flower! "Uh…Zandria?" However, Zandria was red in the face at this. "CASSANDRA! You almost made me faint with your masturbation!" Cassandra blushed, "I'm sorry. I just had to know what it would be like to have him…" Zandria sighed, "I know. I've wondered that myself. Anyway, shall we have breakfast together?" Cassandra smiled, "Of course! But please save mine for last so the others don't get cold." Zandria nodded and headed down the hall with the cart loaded with trays of food.

After stopping by Laura's, Ruby's, and Aurora's bedrooms, Zandria came by Ashton's bedroom. "Lord Ashton, are you awake yet?" A voice replied, "Yes, you may enter." Zandria nudged the door open, but stood there at the sight of Laika lying at his feet while he read a message. "Lord Ashton, why is she still here?" Laika glared at Zandria and replied, "I have been assigned as the guardian of the estate. Therefore, I am to stay by his side at all times." Zandria grumbled slightly that another girl would be with Ashton more than her, but sighed, "I see. Well, make sure he stays safe."

As Zandria set out the trays of food for Ashton and Laika, she noticed Ashton writing in the message. "My lord, what are you doing?" Ashton grinned, "I'm registering for a battle tournament today. It should be a good way to test my skills, as well as to get a little extra income." Zandria smirked, "That tournament is as good as over with you there." Ashton frowned, "I wouldn't be so sure. These invitations have been sent out only to the deadliest fighters in the kingdom. I may have my work cut out for me."

As Zandria turned to leave, Ashton spoke, "Oh yes! Zandria, you've been invited as well!" Zandria looked back at him with a skeptical stare, "Seriously?" "Yes. There will be a special match at the start, and another Pokemon is needed. They can't have a fight with only one, you know." Zandria grinned, "OK! I'll sign!" Zandria took the ink quill and wrote her name on the line. "When do we leave?" Ashton rolled up the messages and tied them together and slipped them into a pouch that was being worn by a Pidgeotto on the windowsill. "We'll be leaving at noon. Be sure to tell the other girls." Zandria bowed and made her way down the hall to deliver breakfast to the rest of them.

Once she was done making her rounds, Zandria headed back to Cassandra's room. "Cassandra, breakfast is served." Cassandra looked away from the mirror, which she was using to observe her long silver tail, and asked, "Many thanks, Zandria. Shall we?" Zandria nodded and uncovered their trays, which were lined with roasted poultry and fresh fruit. "I'll say it again. I'm sorry for what I did to you yesterday." Cassandra shook her head, "Don't be. I understand why you want Lord Ashton to yourself. He's such an angel!" The two girls giggled and chatted while enjoying Zandria's cooking.

"Zandria, may I ask you a question?" Zandria looked up at her with a piece of duck still in her mouth. "What would you name them? Your children, I mean." Zandria slowly swallowed her food and said, "You surprise me. Well, yes. I have thought up names for them. Should my child happens to be a boy, I will name him Atlas. But should it be a girl, I was thinking Anibal." Cassandra sighed, "Those sound like such good names." Zandria spoke, "Thank you. What about you? Did you think up names for your kids?" Cassandra blushed, "Oh yes. I've thought of only the most beautiful names for my children, as they will be sired by the most beautiful man in the kingdom. I'm certain it will be a girl, and her name will be Isis or Cleopatra, or just Cleo for short."

Zandria burst out laughing, "Beautiful indeed! Those are the names of royalty!" Cassandra giggled, "Yes, I know." Zandria finished up, "Well, anyway, Lord Ashton will be taking part in a tournament today at noon, so be prepared to leave." Cassandra screamed, "LORD ASHTON IS GOING TO GO TO BATTLE? I WON'T LET HIM!" Zandria grabbed Cassandra as she tried to run into the hallway, "That's enough! You know Ashton isn't an ordinary knight. Tell you what, if anyone in the tournament manages to hurt him, I'll bake you your favorite dessert tonight. Whaddaya say?" Cassandra calmed down and asked, "Triple Chocolate cake with caramel filling? Well…..uh...you're on!" Zandria grinned, "Then it's settled. I'm not expecting to win, but either way, let's cheer Ashton on."

At around noon, Ashton, along with all his servants, made their way to town for the tournament. It was a fairly warm day in the middle of June, so Aurora was gently caressing the group with a northern wind. Ruby was staying close to Ashton's side while Cassandra joyfully bounded after him. Zandria was riding him piggyback with her arms around his neck while Laura was floating just above him. Serenade had hooked her arm around his left to keep him from getting too far ahead. Laika was at the front of the group to defend them from any threat that dared attack.

Just when they were about to enter the marketplace of Green Mile, Chiara asked, "Lord Ashton, where is the Flamberge?" Ashton chuckled, "Oh, I didn't bring it. They should have weapons provided anyway, so there's nothing to worry about." Soon, the sound of commerce was heard as they made their way through the marketplace. Ashton kept a tight grip on Ruby's hand to prevent her from getting abducted like a few days ago. However, Ruby wasn't the target this time.

Suddenly, Ashton heard Cassandra scream, "Lord Ashton, help me!" With a reflexive move, Ash lashed out with his right leg, nearly throwing Zandria off him. There was a death scream as a splash of blood sprayed along the ground. Ashton bent down over Cassandra and whispered, "Thank you. If you hadn't called out just then, I would have had a difficult time finding you." Cassandra wiped away a tear and gave Ashton a little kiss on the cheek. Zandria pretended not to notice. The townsfolk who had witnessed the rescue backed away at the fact that Ashton had just killed a thug with a single slash with the tip of his boot. This reassured Cassandra's faith that Ashton would come out of the tournament unharmed.

As they approached the coliseum, Ruby marveled at all the people who were filing into the arched doorways. "Ah! Is that you Ashton?" Ashton turned to face the source of the voice. "Good day, Garyson! I take it that you're here for the tournament as well?" His old friend nodded, "Indeed. I'm also looking forward to seeing how the chef of the Ketchum estate does. Follow me." Garyson motioned for them to proceed to the lobby where the other five fighters had gathered. Once they arrived, Ashton became the center of attention when all of them looked towards him. They all looked like tough customers, but the one that caught Ashton's eye was a figure standing against a corner in the shadows. The person was heavily cloaked and wore a hood to hide the face. Even though it wasn't doing anything, Ashton could feel intense malice coming from it.

"Now then, everyone is accounted for, yes? Then let me begin." The staff member displayed a chart showing who would face who. Just then, Ashton noticed that a name had not been selected for his opponent. "Excuse me, but who will I face in the first round?" The staff grinned, "Oh that. You will face whichever wins the preliminary match. We already have one. Now where is the creature known as Zandria?" Ashton frowned, knowing that if Zandria won the match, he would have to fight her himself.

Zandria dropped down from Ashton's neck, "That would be me." The man looked her over and said, "Hm, so I see. Now then, all friends and family may proceed to the designated seats to enjoy the battle. Once the preliminary bout is finished, the real fighting will begin. Gentlemen, I wish you luck."

Garyson personally escorted Ashton's servants to their seats that were right up to the wall of the battlefield, the best seats in the entire stadium. "Oh my, nothing to obscure our view? Ashton made sure we got the royal treatment, I see." Aurora pointed out. Laura was too excited to sit still, "OH YES! Lord Ashton is gonna mop the floor with these fools!" Serenade shushed her, "Perhaps, but we have to wait for Zandria's match to end first." They didn't have to wait long as Zandria dashed out onto the field for her match.

"OK! Who do I get to sink my claws into?" A voice came from behind, "You mean me?" Zandria turned to face the owner of the voice, but all confidence left her face at the sight of him. "Yeah, you remember now. You could never forget me, my little toy." Zandria was staring at the very same Machoke that had raped her just before she met Ashton over a year before. He still had a greedy look in his eyes.

"You…stay away from me!" Zandria screamed as tears of fear began to fill her eyes. "Heh, you always were too weak to refuse anyone. The master has changed his mind about letting you go. He wants you back, and after I defeat you, the staff will turn you over to him. And you know what'll happen next, right? I gotta say, even after all this time, you're still the best runt I've ever been told to help breed. I can't wait to have myself inside you again." This only frightened Zandria more. She could still remember the pain…..

"NO, PLEASE! I DON'T WANT THIS!" A Zangoose screamed in her native tongue as a Machoke removed his belt, revealing his already aroused member. "Tough luck. Whatever the master says goes. Now hold still. It'll hurt less if you relax." The Zangoose struggled to break free from the shackles that bound her arms to the wall, but to no avail. "Just hold still." The Machoke grabbed her body and lifted her up while still holding her against the wall. The Zangoose looked down at the Machoke's stiff member as arousal dripped down it. "Please…..I don't want this…I'll do anything…" The Machoke sneered, "Sorry, but orders are orders!" With that, he thrust into her. Hard.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh! It hurts!" The Zangoose screamed as she was steadily raped by the muscle bound male. "Oooooo…now you're a prize. I've never bred a female that felt as good as you!" The Machoke steadily thrust into her in a slow rhythm. The Zangoose was in great pain as blood flowed down his member after piercing her hymen. The Zangoose cried, "It hurts…it hurts so much! Stop, please!" The Machoke groaned, "Awww…but it feels so good to me."

A minute had gone by that felt like a hellish eternity to the Zangoose. She felt as if she was dying…going insane. Suddenly, she could feel the Machoke's member throb as he neared orgasm. She couldn't stand the thought of being forced into pregnancy and whispered, "Please…..just let me die…" The Machoke groaned, "Yeah right! You're the best! Erf…here it comes!" However, just as the Machoke was about to release his sperm into the Zangoose's womb, there was a crash as something slammed into his face! The force sent him flying a short distance, dislodging his penis from the Zangoose. It was at that moment that he released his sperm, which was wasted as it was sprayed along the ground.

"What do you think you're doing? Why did you stop my breeder from mating with that runt? If she's no good for anything else, what's wrong with breeding it?" The Zangoose managed to raise her head to look at who her master was yelling at, but was shocked to see that her savior was not a Pokemon like her. What stood before her was a young boy who looked no older than fifteen. His eyes were gentle, yet furious.

"Well, what's your problem?" The boy growled, "I should just kill you here and now, but this time, I'll just be taking her." The master yelled, "What was that?" The boy frowned, "Fine, if it will shut you up, I will buy her from you." He then walked over to the man and slapped a handful of gold coins into his hand. "That should suffice." As the brute stared at the amount of money he had just received, the boy came over to the Zangoose and whispered, "I'm getting you out of here." With a precise hit, the boy broke the shackles that bound her with his hand. "Come." He then picked her up and carried her out into the town towards his home at the edge of it. As the townspeople stared at the boy carrying the filthy Zangoose, they had no idea that a number of similar rescues would earn him the title of, "Madman of Green Mile."

"Did you enjoy your nap?" The Zangoose awoke as she felt a human hand caressing her head. She was up to her chin in hot water as she had her very first bath. "I'm surprised you didn't wake up on the spot. You must have been exhausted." The boy stared at her with a look of fascination and relief. He seemed to be much kinder than any other human she had seen before. He even stopped her from being forced into pregnancy. Why would he, a human, care so much for her wellbeing?

"Come. It is about time for dinner." The boy reached out his hand for the Zangoose. "My name is Ashton Ketchum, of the Knighthood of Rohta." The Zangoose had her doubts, but took a chance and grabbed his hand. He then helped her out of the tub and wrapped her in a towel. "You look like someone who prefers poultry, yes? I'm sure we have some duck here." As the Zangoose stayed next to Ashton, she felt a kind of peacefulness she had never felt before.

"Serenade, are you there?" Ashton spoke as he opened the door to the kitchen. The Zangoose looked ahead and saw a female Gardevoir with a feather duster in hand. However, she lacked the two red plates on her chest and back that most other Gardevoir have, meaning she was deformed. "Oh my, who are you?" Serenade glided over to the Zangoose, but stopped when she saw her hide behind Ashton, her pink eyes filled with fear. "Lord Ashton, why is she like this? I've never met a Zangoose so timid."

Ashton looked down at the Zangoose, "She was raped while being bound to a wall. I can't blame her for being so distrustful." Serenade was silent in pity, but said, "You are in good hands with Lord Ashton. Oh?" Serenade gently took the Zangoose's left hand and closely examined it. "Serenade, what is it?" She looked up at him, "The claws in her left hand are missing. It's as if they were never there." Ashton frowned, "So she was born without them? What about her right hand?" Serenade examined the right hand and applied pressure to force the claws out. This time, claws extended. "It seems she does have claws on her right hand." Ashton patted the Zangoose on the head, "Well, one's better than none, eh?" Ashton was startled by a sudden giggle from her. "I do believe she likes you, Lord Ashton." He blushed, "Oh please, it was nothing! Well, I'm going to start on dinner. I'll be a short while, Serenade." She bowed, "Thank you. I made sure the supplies are fresh, so don't worry about any spoiled goods."

Ashton had set to work preparing his, Serenade's, and the Zangoose's meal. As he hummed a little tune, he noticed the Zangoose had been watching him cook very closely. "What? Do you want to try?" Ashton stood aside and let the Zangoose hold the handle of the frying pan. The smell of sautéed duck and veggies was absolutely wonderful. Just then, she tossed the food and expertly caught it in the pan. She then did it a few more times before looking back at Ashton, who stared in awe. "My word, you're a natural! I believe you have potential to surpass me! How would you like to prepare my meal and Serenade's?" The Zangoose gave a big smile and a happy shriek, as she was fascinated by the art of cooking and was eager to learn. "Very well! I'll work on your meal, so don't worry about it."

Ashton specially prepared a set of roast duck, vegetables, and fresh lemonade for the Zangoose, all the while looking over his shoulder at his little friend having the time of her life cooking for the first time.

Once the meals were prepared, Ashton and the Zangoose headed down to Serenade's bedroom and knocked. "Serenade, dinner is served." Serenade answered, "Thank you. Please enter." When they entered, Serenade was sitting at a small end table with a candle lit, as it was starting to get dark. "Mmmmmm…..that smells wonderful, Ashton." Ashton corrected her, "Actually, our little friend here cooked for you tonight." Serenade looked surprised, but her attention was turned towards the tray that the Zangoose was carrying over to her. "Well, I won't turn down such a sincere act, but I'm not expecting this to be a masterpiece." Serenade took her knife and fork and carved a piece of duck and began to consume it. After a few seconds, Serenade's face and eyes looked as if she had just tasted something horribly bitter.

"Serenade, is it no good?" Serenade swallowed the duck, but turned and smiled, "Quite the contrary! This is divine! She truly has talent! I am very grateful to you for this fine feast." Serenade gave the little Zangoose a hug to show her gratitude.

In his bedroom, Ashton was equally astonished by the flavor of the Zangoose's cooking. "Mm! This is fantastic! Little one, as a reward for this, I'm going to teach you something." Ashton went over to a bookshelf and yanked down a book. "I'm going to teach you how to speak English." The Zangoose looked puzzled, but nodded, as she was hoping this would be enjoyable, whatever it was.

"Yes. Aaassshhhhhtttaaaannnnn. Can you say it?" After only ten minutes, the Zangoose had made progress in saying the alphabet, but had not yet said any words. Thinking of something that might help, Ashton asked, "My name is Ashton. What is your name?" At first, the Zangoose struggled, "Zaaaa….Zaaaaannnn…" Ashton listened closely, "Don't hurt yourself. If you want, we can put this off for anoth…" "Zandria!" Ashton jumped at the shout, "What was that?" The Zangoose spoke, "My…name is…Zandria." Ashton smiled, "Zandria…I very rarely meet anyone with a name that beautiful." She blushed deeply and asked, "Lord…Ashton…favor?" Ashton looked at her and listened. "May…I…with you…please?" Ashton gave her a sweet gentle grin, "Of course you may stay. And you may cook all the meals here if you want to. I'm looking forward to you living with us, Lady Zandria." The little Zangoose ran forward and embraced her new friend, knowing that this was just the beginning of her joys.

"So, what do you say? Will you surrender and spare yourself the pain, or will I have to rough you up a bit?" The Machoke asked as he waited for his answer. Zandria, having remembered what Ashton had done for her then, climbed to her feet and said, "Take a hike." The Machoke, having never been addressed so rudely, yelled, "What was that, you little runt?" Zandria glared at him and smirked, "You heard me. I will never accept you as my mate. I have decided. There is only one man who I will allow to impregnate me." Zandria threw up one finger. "Only one! I will never return to my previous life! My days as a breeder have ended! What's more, I still have a bone to pick with you." She then held her right hand up vertically and extended her claws. "I've become quite skilled in the cooking arts. I'm gonna cook you nice and slow over a hot fire."

"What the…what was that about? You know you can't take me on!" Zandria widened her stance, "I never go back on my word. I have vowed to bear the offspring of one man, and you're not him! And I WILL be using your body for tonight's meal!" She then charged the Machoke, bent on making him pay for what he did to her.

"Oh yeah? Well let's see ya try it!" The Machoke dashed at her with his fist ready for a Focus Punch. "Forget you! I'm gonna smash ya to pieces! RAAAAAAHHHHH!" When they met in the center, they blazed past each other for a distance and stopped, but Zandria looked like a blur as she went. After a moment of them standing there, looking like they had lashed out on the run, the Machoke felt a wetness on his chest and looked down. There was a gaping hole in his chest with blood spilling down it. When he looked behind him, Zandria had his heart skewered on her claws. "I told you I was gonna cook you nice and slow over a hot fire. Just be glad you won't be alive to feel it." With that, the Machoke keeled over dead.

The audience burst into applause at the artistry of the kill. As Zandria hauled the corpse towards the lobby, Chiara choked, "I honestly believe she overdid it. Couldn't she have carved his heart out afterwards?" She looked a little green in the face. "Yeah. That was gross!" Ruby gagged. However, Cassandra was worried. (Lord Ashton…what will you do when you face Zandria?)

Back in the lobby, Ashton patted the head of Zandria, "Well done. To take him down with a single strike is not what I'd expect from anyone!" Zandria blushed, being grateful that he didn't hear their conversation. The announcer spoke, "Now that all contestants have been decided, shall we move on to the main event? First of all, does everyone have a weapon?" Everyone but Ashton and Zandria raised a hand. "I see. Well, Lord Ashton, allow me to present you with a variety of weapons to choose from. Bear in mind that you will have to return it in the end." The announcer led Ashton over to a wooden rack of many weapons. Ashton browsed them, eyeing short and long swords, daggers, spears, axes, even a few katana imported from the Far East. But at the end, he saw what he was looking for. A Claymore rested at the edge of the rack and seemed to be in good condition. About the same size as the Flamberge, it was a great sword designed as an anti cavalry weapon. Ashton picked it up and tested its weight. "This will be my weapon of choice."

The announcer continued, "Now then, Sir Ashton, you and your servant are up first, so out you go!" Ashton nodded and headed out to the battlefield with Zandria in tow. The crowd went wild at the sight of the most renowned knight in the kingdom dressed in light blue armor. Ashton always chose to wear lighter armor, choosing mobility over defense, preferring to use his weapon to defend instead of letting attacks hit him.

Once Ashton and Zandria were about 100 yards apart, the announcer shouted, "Let the first match begin!" Ashton took the Claymore in hand and said, "Well then, would you prefer me to go easy on you, Zandria?" However, she shocked him with a bloodthirsty glare. In a flash, she slammed into him with a Mach Punch, causing him to drop his weapon and roll a good distance away!

"LORD ASHTON! DON'T LET HER WALK ALL OVER YOU!" Laura screamed as Zandria closed in. However, when Ashton sat up, Zandria was in front of him with claws extended! He closed his eyes to prepare for the pain. However, he soon felt something touch his lips and opened his eyes in curiosity. He almost gasped to find Zandria kissing him gently. After a moment, she broke the kiss and looked endearingly at him and whispered, "Don't lose." With that, she collapsed weakly at his side.

The announcer came over to check on the two fighters and asked, "What happened?" Ashton shook his head, "She just passed out. What now?" The announcer chuckled and shouted, "The winner by default is Sir Ashton!" The crowd burst into applause as Ashton carried Zandria back towards the lobby. He whispered, "Why did you forfeit?" Zandria looked up at him, "I could never bring myself to hurt you. You should know that by now." Ashton chuckled at her feelings for him, knowing that he would have tried to avoid hurting her as well.

When the three of them got back to the lobby, the announcer stopped, "Oh my! What happened?" With the exception of the mysterious cloaked figure, all the fighters were unconscious and looked injured. In a quiet voice, the figure spoke, "Some drunken thugs stormed the room during the match. I managed to send them packing, but they knocked out the rest." The announcer tried his best to awaken the unconscious fighters, but they were out like a light. "Hrrrmmmm…I suppose we have no choice but to proceed to the final match. Sir Ashton, you will be facing this fellow. Come with me." As the announcer and the cloaked figure headed out to the battle field, Ashton instructed Zandria to head up to the seats with the other girls.

Just as he was turning to head out to the field, something grabbed Ashton's ankle! "Ashton…wait…" It was Garyson. "What happened? How could a bunch of drunkards hurt you like this?" Garyson groaned, "That demon…the cloaked one did this to us…it used poison to make us sleepy and then attacked us. Whatever it is…it wants you…" Garyson fell asleep just then. Ashton took to heart that the opponent he was about to face was not a typical warrior.

When Ashton arrived at the center of the battlefield, Zandria had just made it to the seats. "Did I miss anything?" Cassandra gave her the evil eye, "You little sneak! I saw what you did!" Zandria then teased her, "Triple Chocolate cake with caramel filling." This wrecked her train of thought. "Oh yes! Don't forget! You hurt him, so I win!" "Yeah, yeah, I know! Now let's enjoy this battle!"

The announcer shouted, "Due to an unfortunate display of poor willpower, we have moved on to the final match. I know that you must be disappointed, but rest assured this will be a fight to remember! BEGIN!" The announcer ran to the sidelines to allow the two warriors to begin.

Ashton brought the Claymore to his side in order to slash the opponent if it attacked, but it suddenly spoke out, "Ashton, forfeit now. You can't defeat me." Ashton chuckled at the request, but calmly replied, "My apologies, but I can't do that. I was told to win, and that is what I shall do." The figure was silent for a moment, but began to quietly laugh. "And I suppose one of your pets told you that?" Ashton scowled at the cloaked figure. "Well, Beasts shouldn't be taken seriously, you know." Ashton clutched the hilt of his sword tightly. "I'll have you know that everyone who has called my family 'Beasts' has been slain by my hands. Soon, you will join them."

The mysterious figure reached inside its cloak and laughed, "You're every bit a caring fool that I've heard." It then drew out a pair of wave swords and curled them along the sides of the forearms. "Looks like I'll be claiming the prize money, as well as your bounty." Ashton gasped, "So, you took out all the other contestants just so you would face me sooner! And my bounty…..are you working for the Black Wing?" The assassin laughed, "Not directly. But I will hand over your head to them for quite a bonus. Now then, Vulcan Warrior, are you ready to dance?" The figure then dashed towards him with the wave swords out at the sides! "The Dance of Death?"


	6. Wrath of the Phoenix

"Shall we dance? The Dance of Death?" With wave swords drawn, the assassin charged Ashton with murder in its eyes. "You're making a big mistake!" Ashton made a wide swing with the Claymore, but missed when the assassin made a sideways roll. "Too slow!" Using both swords like a pair of scissors, the assassin lashed out with very quick swings. Ashton had never faced someone so skilled with wave swords, so he was hard pressed to block every blow with the wide blade of the Claymore.

"He's so fast! I don't think Ashton can win this one!" Aurora said with fear in her voice. "No way! Ashton's the best there is! YOU CAN DO IT, LORD ASHTON!" Laura screamed. "Even so, he needs me." Laika prepared to jump the wall, but Chiara grabbed her. "I'm sorry, but he must do this alone. This is a one on one fight, so we can't interfere." Laika took her seat, although Chiara could see that she was very distraught, even through her cold eyes.

"Darn you! Back off already!" During a brief pause in the assassin's attack, Ashton dug the Claymore's blade into the sand on the ground, which was there to absorb the blood of the combatants. "Get away! Sandstorm Jutsu!" With a wide swing of the sword, Ashton sent a blast of wind at the assassin, carrying with it a load of sand! The sand was clearly irritating to the assassin as he tried to protect his face. During this time, Ashton performed yet another swing. "Ninja art: Wind Scythe Jutsu!" A windstorm seemed to come out of nowhere and swept the assassin right off his feet. The sound of slashing could be heard as blades of wind tore at the cloak that concealed the assassin's face. After several seconds, the wind died down and the assassin fell face first into the floor.

The crowd went wild at the display of wind magic Ashton had unleashed on his opponent. Laika was particularly impressed. "I never would have imagined that Ashton was skilled in the ways of magic as well as swordplay." On the battlefield, Ashton breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, I guess that's that." However, his good mood was short lived as he saw the assassin climbing to its feet. During the process, the hood, having been torn to shreds, fell to the ground, revealing the face of the figure. However, it was not as anyone had expected.

"You…you're a…" The assassin smirked, "A woman? Indeed. You've proven to be very enjoyable prey, Lord Ashton." What stood before him was a young woman with blond hair that was in curly tails at the sides of her face. "You're the…the Night Hawk? The assassin that has claimed over a thousand victims?" The young woman burst into hysterical laughter at the obvious fear Ashton was showing.

"The Night Hawk….." Cassandra looked at Chiara, "Is something wrong? Do you know about her?" Chiara was silent. Aurora yelled, "You must know something! Tell us!" Chiara whispered, "She is…the most notorious assassin in the kingdom. She is responsible for the deaths of several nobles, hundreds of skilled mercenaries, and even the King of Rohta himself." Everyone gasped. The assassin who Ashton was facing was the very same one who had slain the late king himself?

"So, what are you going to do, Lord Ashton of Green Mile? Are you simply so overwhelmed by my very presence that you can't even try to look like you can continue fighting?" Ashton yelled, "Quite the contrary! I know how you assassins work. You rely on one-hit strikes to kill your targets. You have to take out your targets with a single blow without them noticing. In a fair and open duel, like this, a knight would crush an assassin." The Night Hawk chuckled, "True, but a knight needs a weapon, and I don't see you with one."

Ashton looked down at the Claymore he was holding and stood aghast at the sight of the blade having been shattered all the way down to the hilt! During the attack from the assassin, she had deliberately struck the blade at certain points in an effort to weaken it. The two swings Ashton made were too much for it and the Claymore shattered during the second swing.

"Aw, what's wrong? Are you going to cry?" Ashton had hunkered over and seemed to be shaking violently. However, as soon as he looked up, the Night Hawk saw his face filled with anger! Ashton looked at the audience and yelled, "What's the idea of giving me a faulty weapon? Piece of junk! I ought to reprimand you idiots for keeping these things in such poor shape!" The audience burst into laughter at Ashton's temper tantrum. His servants were somewhat embarrassed of him for losing his cool over something so silly, seeing as how the sword did not even belong to him, except for Laura, who yelled, "YEAH! YOU TELL THEM, ASHTON!"

As the Night Hawk looked on, she asked herself, "What's with this moron? Doesn't he know that his life is at stake?" Ashton then glared at her and yelled, "SHUT UP!" He then threw the hilt right at her, barely missing her head. When the hilt struck the wall behind her, there was a crash as a large crack was made in it. "That would've killed me if it hit. You've got a good throwing arm. But so what? You can hardly call yourself a knight without a weapon! Just how do you expect to hold your own against me now?"

For a moment, Ashton still seemed to be seething, but his scowl soon turned into a sneaky grin. "You do have a point there. A knight is only a knight when he has a weapon to use in battle. However…" Ashton then made a series of hand signs. Zandria saw this and giggled, "Aw man, this is gonna be good!" Ashton then started to reach for something concealed under his cape, "A shinobi without a weapon…" He then pulled out something that seemed to resemble a metal fan. But with a flick of his wrist, it unfurled into what seemed to be a small windmill with deadly blades on each fan! "Is still a shinobi!"

As he reached back with the strange weapon in hand, Ashton yelled, "Demon Wind Shuriken!" He then threw it expertly at the Night Hawk like a buzz saw! Zandria grinned, (OK, Ashton. Let's see what Master Koga taught you.) The Night Hawk laughed, "One little boomerang? You must be joking." Ashton then pressed his hands together, "Try one THOUSAND! Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Out of nowhere, one thousand more shuriken appeared around the one Ashton threw! "No way! Gotta think fast!" The Night Hawk started using her natural agility along with her wave swords to evade and deflect the incoming shuriken. "If just one gets me, it's over!"

In a major stroke of luck, the Night Hawk managed to avoid every last shuriken that was thrown at her. "That…was too close." As she looked ahead, she saw Ashton gave a whistle, "Not bad. That was a very advanced technique you just evaded. I see that striking from a distance won't help. So…" He then reached behind his cape again and pulled out a short black dagger in each hand. "I'll just have to take the fight to you!"

Ashton made a sudden dash at the Night Hawk at speeds that no knight could hope to achieve! "This is bad!" As soon as he closed in, Ashton went for the assassin's throat with his weapons. However, the Night Hawk's wave swords had greater reach, so Ashton had to make sure to keep an eye on them.

"You spoiled brat! You're my prey! You can't be doing this!" Ashton was successfully backing the Night Hawk into a corner as the crowd started cheering wildly at his display of courage and speed. "Now do you understand? I'm much more than just a knight! And to prove it…" Ashton suddenly jumped away and threw his two daggers at the feet of the assassin. "Big mistake! Now you can't…guh…" The Night Hawk gagged as her opponent slammed his fist into her gut! "There are three forms of combat for a shinobi. Genjutsu, Ninjutsu, and Taijutsu. This is Taijutsu!" Ashton then proceeded to pummel the black hearted woman with just his fists!

"Yeah! That's so amazing! Left! Right! Jab! You've got her!" Laura kept screaming as her master began to acquire the upper hand of the duel. "This is unreal! I can't believe he's doing this well, even though he's unarmed!" Laika exclaimed. She had never been so excited in her life. Ruby also yelled, "He's so strong! No wonder he could carry such a big weapon! Huh?" Zandria pointed, "This is it! He's going for the finish!"

Ashton threw the Night Hawk off balance with a kick to the abdomen, and then sent her skyward with an upward kick to the face! "Here's a little something I came up with myself!" He then made a surprisingly high leap towards his opponent! In a desperate attempt to save herself, the Night Hawk tried to throw her wave swords down at Ashton. However, since she was facing upwards, her aim was poor and she missed.

As the Night Hawk noticed that she had stopped rising, she heard a voice directly under her. "Long live the king! Your time is up!" With an upward kick, Ashton struck at the base of her spine! Next, he flipped her over and performed a reverse axe kick to her face, sending her spiraling backwards. Finally, he grabbed her and moved her under him, and then sent her falling to the ground with a deadly heel drop to the chest!

"Not done yet!" Ashton took a deep breath as he tapped into his Vulcan powers. "Now fry!" In a bold display of power, the Vulcan Warrior sent a pillar of flame directly down at the Night Hawk! Just before she hit the ground, the blast struck right down into her, melting some of the sand and producing a heat wave that made the coliseum feel like a desert for a moment. Despite the height from which he fell, Ashton landed as gently as a floating feather.

As the crowd went wild, Laura screamed, "YOU DID IT! YOU'RE THE SEXIEST AND STRONGEST KNIGHT IN THE KINGDOM!" Zandria grabbed Laura around the mouth and whispered, "Don't say that here! We could get in loads of trouble if someone heard us! Although…..there's no denying that he is the sexiest boy in the kingdom." Zandria blushed, knowing that it would have been a lie if she had said otherwise.

"Well, I do believe that this duel is over." Ashton sighed as he looked at the smoldering crater. The referee came over and looked the crater over and said, "As it seems that the opponent is no longer alive, the champion of this match is…is…wooo….." The referee fell over without warning. "Huh? Hey, old man! Are you OK?" Ashton walked over to him and saw that he was fast asleep and noticed a pair of needles in his neck. "Wait…poison?"

Ashton gasped as he looked back at the crater and saw a figure emerge from it. "I don't think he'll be interrupting us for a while." The Night Hawk staggered out of the crater with a very pleased look on her face. "Not bad. You really know how to fight. It's not often that I have to fight someone trained in the ways of the ninja." Ashton gulped, "You mean…this isn't the first time?"

The Night Hawk sneered, "Indeed. I have been hired in many places. Even the Far East. I have become acquainted with dealing with the likes of you. I have even slain some of the more renowned shinobi of the east. What's more…" The gauntlets on the Night Hawk's arms began to glow a sinister purple. "I happen to know how to dispose of you."

With a wave of her arm, the Night Hawk formed a hailstorm of ice needles! "She's a sorceress! AUGH!" Ashton screamed in agony as he was skewered from all sides! "LORD ASHTON! NO!" Cassandra screamed as she saw the love of her life fighting for his life. "No…I won't back down…they still need me!" Ashton groaned as he regained his balance. "I won't abandon them. They are my family, and I promised that I would win!"

The Night Hawk, who had been smirking the whole time, began to scowl. "You think that Beasts are people too?" Ashton panted, "I don't think. I know!" The Night Hawk leered, "You disgust me." With another wave of her hand, a pillar of rock jutted out of the ground and nailed Ashton in the chest, shattering his ribcage. As he coughed up blood, the Night Hawk laughed, "Fine. If you really don't want them to be left all alone, I'll gladly kill them when I'm done with you!"

The Night Hawk chanted a brief incantation as clouds of sand rose from the floor and compacted into many small clubs. "I'll soon have you beat!" One after the other, the sand clubs pounded into Ashton at a steady rhythm. "Why…why are they like this? Why are humans so cruel to Pokemon?"

As the clubs smashed away at him, Ashton cried, "Why…what did they ever do to deserve this?" A final blow sent Ashton rolling away, only to have him start to climb to his feet. "Mother…Father…what have they done to you?" Soon, a faint veil of fire began to enshroud Ashton. "Why do they enjoy causing us such pain?"

Serenade immediately noticed what was happening to Ashton and began to shed tears, "No…not again…not this…" Aurora noticed Serenade's behavior and asked, "What's wrong with him? Has this happened before?" Ruby pointed out, "I saw him like this before. He was really angry at the men who kidnapped me." Serenade sobbed, "No…this is different…that rage…" Aurora asked, "Serenade, did something happen to you and Ashton when you were still children?" Serenade still seemed to be in shock, but whispered, "I…I never wanted to see him like this again…after ten whole years…"

"I think I've seen enough blood for now. Time to say goodbye." With a sweep of her hands, the Night Hawk conjured up another wall of ice. However, instead of needles, this ice had been shaped into full-sized spears. "Don't you worry, though. I'll be sending your little pets to join you." The hail of ice spears streaked towards the fallen knight, but just as they impacted him, they burst into steam!

"What the devil? How could anything be so hot?" Slowly, Ashton turned to face the assassin. When his eyes met hers', the Night Hawk shuddered at the changes in them. They had become a fiery red and were filled with bloodlust that was more sinister than her own. It was as if he had just been possessed by the devil himself.

"You…you humans are all the same. You seek nothing more than to make everything around you bend to your will. Whatever refuses to do so, or what is of no use to you, you destroy. You humans are a plague. You care nothing for anything but yourselves!"

The Z shaped markings under Ashton's eyes began to extend and become bolder. "You…all you humans are…" Suddenly, Ashton collapsed to his knees while screaming in agony! The flames enshrouding his body began to blaze as what seemed to be wings of fire began to form on his back. "You are…..barbarians! You are my prey!" Ashton screamed as the flames intensified. Serenade whispered, "No…please don't do it…not again…"

"Serenade! Look what I found!" A little boy yelled as he ran with something in his hands. After a moment of running through the woods, the boy came across a little female Ralts. However, the red horns on her head were missing, an unfortunate birth defect. Even so, she could tell just by looking at the boy that he was very excited.

"Hi, Ashton! What's that?" Ashton opened his hands to reveal to his sister what he had found. "EEK! A BUG!" Ashton spoke, "Not just any bug! Look!" Reluctantly, Serenade looked closer and saw that the bug was some sort of beetle with a shiny green carapace. "I think it's called a jewel beetle. Isn't it pretty?" This time, Serenade smiled, "Yes! It's very pretty!" She then gently ran her hand over the back, but yanked her arm back when it opened its wings. As it took off, Ashton and Serenade laughed at the loud buzzing sound it made.

"That was a very noisy bug! Huh?" Ashton and Serenade sniffed the air as they smelled a faint aroma. "Mother's making dinner! Come on, Serenade!" Ashton grabbed his sister's hand and took off running towards their home. "It smells yummy! What could it be?" Serenade would soon find out as a dwelling came into view.

"Father!" Ashton yelled as he saw a small clearing to the side. Standing in front of a recently chopped log with blades still extended was a Gallade. At the sound of Ashton's voice, he turned and saw his two children running towards him. "Ashton! Serenade! I see that you've been having fun." The Gallade scooped up the two children in his arms and held them close. Serenade giggled, "You squeeze so hard, Father!" The Gallade chuckled, "That just shows how precious you are to me. Now, since I've finished chopping firewood, shall we head inside to see what your mother is fixing for supper?"

As the trio entered the modest little cottage, the aroma of spices fill their nostrils. As they entered the kitchen, the Gallade asked, "That's quite a delicious aroma, Starlet. What's on the menu tonight?" Standing in front of the stove was a female Gardevoir. As she turned to face her husband and children, she smiled, "Asking right away? You must be starving, Siegfried." "MOTHER!" Little Ashton ran over to Starlet, who quickly snatched him up in her slender arms.

"Mother, I found something for you!" Ashton pulled something out of his pocket. "Oh my! Is this a peridot?" Starlet gazed at the olive green gemstone. "It's for you, Mother!" Starlet gave the little boy a very grateful hug. "I will always cherish it. Thank you, Ashton." The lovely Gardevoir gave her little boy a sweet kiss to thank him.

"Mmmmm! Tasty!" Serenade said as she gulped down her mother's cooking. She had cooked up fried potatoes, roasted duck, spinach, and sautéed carrots. "I'll never know how you became so good at cooking, Starlet. Who taught you again?" Starlet giggled at her husband's question, "I'm self-taught. Did you forget?" Siegfried laughed, "So I did. My apologies."

That evening, Ashton and Serenade ran out to chase fireflies in the dark. "These things are hard to see! Serenade, can you see any?" Suddenly, there was the sound of a twig snapping. "Uh-oh. Serenade, don't move." For a moment, the two kids stayed absolutely still. "Hey, you kids lost?" The two children turned to face who the voice belonged to. Standing behind them was a pair of rather brutish looking men.

"Kinda late for a couple of kids to be wandering the woods alone. You two lost?" Ashton and Serenade were obviously nervous, but the other man spoke, "Hey, we're not gonna hurt ya! We're just a little worried." At last, Ashton replied, "Uh, we're not lost. We know the way home." With a smirk, the slightly taller man kneeled down to the kids and whispered, "Ya know, this forest can get really dangerous at night. I've heard of monsters that only come out at night that hunt in this forest."

Ashton and Serenade were obviously scared by the tall tale the guy just said. To top it off, he added, "What's more, they really like the taste of children. The younger you are, the tastier. And I'd say that you two are just about ripe for the pickings." Finally, Serenade flipped out, "NOOOOOO! I DON'T WANNA GET EATEN! SAVE ME!" However, the stranger added, "And that's why we are gonna escort you kids home. Since we're adults, the monsters don't like the taste, so they won't bother you if you're with us. OK?" Serenade calmed down and said, "Thanks, mister!"

As the strangers followed the two children home, they whispered amongst themselves. "Ya know, it's a good thing that Ralts doesn't have those horns. It would've seen right through us." The other bandit replied, "Yeah. Ya know, we could make a solid profit if we sold the parents." The partner nodded, "Yeah, we could. Just remember. We need them alive."

As the house came into view, Ashton and Serenade saw their mother hanging out some of Ashton's clothes to dry. Just as he was about to call out to her, Ashton was pulled back into the bushes along with Serenade. "Almost forgot. Those monsters have a really crazy ability. They take on the forms of the loved ones of their prey. That thing out there is definitely one of them." Ashton breathed a sigh of relief, "Thanks, mister. But what should we do?" One of the bandits grinned, "Just leave it to us."

Ever so carefully, the two bandits snuck up on the unsuspecting Gardevoir, their clubs in hand. Starlet had just finished hanging the laundry and was about to head inside when she heard a twig snap. "Hm? Is someone there?" At this moment, the bandits panicked and leapt at her! "Wha? NO!" With one blow to the head, Starlet collapsed to the ground. "Careful! We need her alive!" It was at that moment that Ashton and Serenade realized that these two thugs were just ordinary criminals. Together, they both screamed, "FATHER! MOTHER'S HURT!"

"Crud. It seems they found out." One bandit said as the front door burst open. Siegfried dashed out into the yard and froze at the sight of his wife bleeding from the head. "Whoa, a Gallade? This one will surely fetch its weight in gold!" Siegfried felt his battle lust return as his elbow blades extended. "You beasts…I'll kill you!" The former gladiator charged the bandits with rage in his eyes.

"Think you can take us both? Think again!" Both bandits brought down their clubs, but Siegfried blocked them both with the blades on each arm. A fierce battle ensued with Siegfried holding his own against the thugs. However, they were steadily inching towards the bushes where Serenade and Ashton were watching from.

"This thing's tough! Huh?" The bandit recognized the bush he was right next to. "Gotcha!" He thrust his hand into the bush as Siegfried was about to bring his blades up through the bandit's chest. "Do you really want to do that to your own kid?" The bandit chuckled as he held up Serenade as a shield. "Father!" Siegfried only barely stopped himself from slicing through his own daughter. "Monsters…" Siegfried gasped as he collapsed to the ground from a blow to the head from the other bandit.

"Father! Get away from them!" Ashton charged the two bandits after witnessing his parents' brutal attack. "Whelp! Don't push your luck!" The bandit stopped Ashton cold with a kick to the face, which sent him rolling a good distance away. "Ashton! Help me!" Serenade screamed. "Don't waste your breath. The kid can't help you now." Ashton slowly climbed to his knees, aching from the bruise on his face. "Why…? Why are they doing this? Why do they treat Mother and Father like animals?"

Ashton began convulsing as he played the horrible sight over and over in his head. "It doesn't make sense. Why did they hurt them? Is it because…" Ashton looked up at the two bandits, but then looked in horror at his own hands. "Am I…am I the same as them? Am I a monster too?" Ashton brought his hands to his face as he screamed in anguish.

"Ya know, that kid could tell the knights about us. Think we should kill him?" The other bandit nodded, "Yeah. Leave no eyewitnesses." As his partner approached the weeping boy, Serenade screamed, "Leave him alone! Ashton, run!" However, hearing the cries of his sister awakened a forbidden power within Ashton's soul. A power that only he could use.

"Sorry kid. I'm not one for killing brats, but it's for the best." However, as he raised his club, the bandit froze when Ashton looked up at him. His eyes had become a fiery red. Worse, a savage bloodlust was just underneath the surface. "This kid's a freak show!" In fear, the thug brought his club down hard, slamming into Ashton's cranium. "ASHTON!" Serenade screamed as she saw her brother take a fatal blow, but her fear was short lived as she saw him slowly look up at the bandit that had just tried to murder him. Blood was oozing down his face, but he didn't seem to be in any pain at all.

"This…kid…" The bandit panicked and started pounding away at Ashton with his club. However, after several whacks, Ashton grabbed the club. A second later, the wooden weapon ignited, causing the bandit to back away in terror. Just then, flames erupted all around Ashton as he clutched his face in pain. Then, in a scream of agony, he threw his face upwards as flames seemed to surge out of his face! A moment later after the flames seemed to disappear; he looked back at the bandits. They, along with Serenade, were frozen with dread at the sight of Ashton's face. Just under his eyes was a pair of neatly made Z shaped openings in his skin. Blood was pouring from them as Ashton shed tears of silent grief. The fire the bandits had just seen had burned right through Ashton's skin, forever burning the scars that would be a testament to his dark secret.

"Fine! Forget that! I'll just have to carve out your heart!" The bandit drew a dagger from his jacket and charged at the boy. However, just before he reached Ashton, a pillar of flames engulfed the bandit. Only a second later, it receded. Where the bandit used to be standing was a pile of ashes. As Ashton glared at the remaining bandit with his cold, yet burning gaze, the thug decided to cut his losses and escape. He immediately dropped Serenade and ran screaming towards the forest. However, no one would escape the woods alive.

Just before the bandit reached the trees, ropes of fire came out of nowhere and wrapped around him! For some reason, the fire was not burning the thug. Still, the bandit was screaming his head off in terror of what was happening. As the tangled bandit was lifted high above his victims, he was able to look down and saw Ashton reaching out with one hand, as if the flames were merely an extension of his arm.

As Serenade looked at the bandit and back at her brother, tears of loss began to fall from her eyes. Had her brother become a monster bent on death? She had never seen him so angry. So…brutal. At last, as he glared at the bandit, Ashton whispered, "Die." The instant he closed his open hand, the bandit was consumed in a massive inferno! However, the blaze quickly expanded outwards and appeared to bloom into the form of a flower. As the flames died down, ash fell from the night sky and blanketed the area.

"Ashton…?" Serenade whispered. The boy turned and faced his sister, his face still creepily emotionless. "I'll be right back." Ashton headed inside the cottage to find some medicinal herbs and bandages to patch up his parents. The whole while, Serenade cried, "Ashton…what happened to you? Did Mother and Father know?"

As the audience looked on with mixed horror and awe, Ashton growled deeply as the flames surrounding him blazed fiercely. The wings of flame on his back had unfurled, revealing an incredible sight of rainbow colors flickering in the flames. However, his face was consumed with inhuman wrath as he tried to hold on to his sanity. Even the Night Hawk was shuddering in fright at this demon.

A moment later, Ashton managed to look up at the assassin. His eyes were filled with so much rage and hatred that the Night Hawk could almost feel his gaze boring into her mind. With a demonic growl, Ashton roared, "Now, it is time that you disappeared!"


	7. Tears of Flames

As the audience looked on with bated breath, Ashton, the Vulcan Warrior, had begun to reveal his darkest secret. A veil of flames had engulfed his body as rainbow colored wings of fire began to unfold from his back. The Night Hawk, an assassin who had claimed the life of the late king of Rohta himself, felt as if she was staring at the very embodiment of fire.

"Now…disappear, you cur!" With wings spread, the Vulcan Warrior charged his prey without even touching the ground. "Just fire? Big deal! I'm a master of ALL elements! Observe. STONE WALL!" The sorceress planted her hands on the ground. As her gauntlets glowed purple, a towering slab of bedrock jutted up in front of her! Ruby yelled, "He's not stopping! Lord Ashton, just go around!"

The Night Hawk giggled, "Let's see ya get through that." As if to make her eat those words, Ashton charged right into the wall. To the shock of everyone, especially the Night Hawk herself, there was a massive crash as the wall of stone crumbled as Ashton smashed his way right through it! As the Night Hawk looked on in disbelief, her target was right up in her face.

"Now you're mine!" Ashton released a stream of fire from his mouth, just barely missing the frightened assassin. "You freak! What the devil are you?" Ashton roared, "What's it to you? Does it matter what I am to a black hearted waste of space like you?" To his surprise, the assassin smiled, "You know what? You're absolutely right. You're my prey and nothing more. It's been a long time since I had to use this."

The Night Hawk put her hands together as she chanted an incantation of sorts. Her gauntlets began to glow a sinister black as what seemed to be black mist encased her body. However, Ashton was not in the mood to allow his victim to get any ideas about escaping this alive. He suddenly thrust his right arm into the mist and grabbed something.

"What the…?" In an instant, Ashton yanked his arm out of the mist as a sickening sound was heard. The Night Hawk let out a blood curdling scream as the mist began to fade. "Oh…my…god…!" Zandria brought her hands to her face in utter horror as she saw what Ashton was holding in his hand. He had completely ripped the Night Hawk's left arm from its socket! Blood was still oozing from the end.

The Night Hawk shuddered in pain and shock as she clutched where her arm used to be. She looked up at her opponent with a look in her eyes that she had never shown in her infamous career. Pure fear. But what topped it off was the amused smile on Ashton's face. "Aww, what's wrong? Do you want you arm back?" Suddenly, intense flames engulfed the arm, reducing it to a pile of ash in just a few seconds. "Oops. Looks like it's gone. Such a tragic shame." Ashton let out a laugh as his eight servants tried to make sense of his demonic change.

"You…you're a freak! You can't be doing this to me!" The Night Hawk screamed in combined fear, anger, and frustration. However, Ashton smirked, "You still don't get it. You are going to die here." With that, he kicked her in the face and sent her flying a good distance away. "Arrogant brat…I still have one!" The Night Hawk struggled to her feet and saw Ashton swooping towards her on rainbow wings.

"No one can survive the fires of Hell! Not even you!" The Night Hawk began to wave her hand as what seemed to be blood red flames began to swirl around her. Ashton noticed this and made a quick landing. "Let the power of Hellfire sink into your soul!" The dark flames surged toward Ashton in the form of a fiendish serpent. However, Ashton just began to chuckle. "Heheheheh….HAHAHAHAHAHAAA!"

The instant the hellish snake engulfed Ashton, the young viscount yelled, "FOOL! I COMMAND ALL FIRE, REGARDLESS OF THE REALM IN WHICH IT ORIGINATES!" The serpent seemed to be coiling around Ashton as he spoke. In a moment, it had been compressed around his right arm. "This…this isn't happening! You can't be doing this!" The Night Hawk was in a state of delirious terror as she realized that she was already as good as dead.

"Now, I will show the humans of this village what awaits them!" The dark flames surrounding Ashton's arm raged towards the Night Hawk and entangled her in an instant. However, she was baffled that she could not move and that the hellfire flames, which are hot enough to sear the soul itself, were not burning her. Ashton began to raise his arm as the rope of fire raised his victim above the coliseum.

"Don't worry all that much! You'll be going out in a blaze!" Ashton cackled as the Night Hawk understood that there was no hope left for her. Overcome with terror, she abandoned her pride and pleaded for her life. "Wait! You win! I surrender! I'll even pay double of what this tournament is offering! Come on! You believe in mercy, right?" This seemed to get Ashton's attention and he replied, "Yes." A look of relief spread across the assassin's face, as well as Serenade's, for she did not want to see that horrifying abomination again. However, their relief was short lived when Ashton's smirk became an angry scowl. "…..but not to humans."

Having nothing left to say, Ashton closed his hand into a fist and whispered, "Crimson Blossom." In a spectacular flash of fire, the Night Hawk met her end in a magnificent blossom of flames. They quickly spread out and shaped into a flower. Cassandra was surprised by this beautiful display and exclaimed, "It's so beautiful! I knew Ashton was a talented artist, but this goes beyond any expectations I had!" However, Serenade was beginning to convulse as her face started to turn blue.

Chiara saw Serenade's reaction to Ashton's artistic finishing blow and asked, "I know it's beautiful, but there's no need to get that worked up about it, Serenade." The young woman whispered, "No…it's not that…the petals…" Laika asked, "What about the petals?" Serenade went on, "They seem…beautiful…but they're…..they're really made of…burning blood…" Aurora was blue in the face at this revelation. "You mean…those flower petals are formed from the blood of Ashton's opponent?" Serenade nodded weakly. Aurora shuddered as she looked back at the flower, which was beginning to burn itself out. "What a horrible way to die….."

The Crimson Blossom soon fell to the ground in a plume of ashes. Ashton sighed in satisfaction as he savored the pleasure of the kill, but it still was not enough. He looked all around at the spectator seats and shuddered in anticipation of the sight of countless human corpses. "So many humans lined up in a row. This is all too easy."

Serenade immediately saw what Ashton was doing and shouted, "No! Aurora, you must stop him! He's going after the audience!" The Suicune yelled, "WHAT? I can't bring myself to hurt Lord Ashton!" Serenade pleaded, "Just douse him with a blast of water and I'll do the rest. Please!"

Ashton sneered, "Now, I shall erase all of you human filth from this world! Farewe…AUGH!" Ashton screamed in shock as a Hydro Pump slammed into him and sent him smashing against the wall! The force of the torrent held him there as the flames enshrouding him died down. Once the flames were gone, the Hydro Pump ended. "Who would dare…huh? Serenade?" Ashton's sister was holding his face as she gazed into his eyes. "You've done enough, my lord. Please. Rest now." Ashton felt his mind starting to become hazy as Serenade used Hypnosis on him. Soon, the Vulcan Warrior fell into a deep sleep, oblivious to what had occurred.

"No. It's for the best that we keep that a secret from Ashton." Ruby objected, "But…Lady Aurora! Shouldn't he know how the tournament ended?" Aurora frowned, "That is enough! I am the head maid here, so I decide what happens when Lord Ashton is not able to! Please understand. He would not want to know about this." Aurora then proceeded out of Ashton's bedroom, leaving the young Lucario with an unconscious Ashton and Laika, who was standing guard.

"Lady Laika? May I ask you something?" The Mightyena gave Ruby an emotionless stare, "I guess so. What is it?" Ruby held her hand to her chest. "I don't know why, but after seeing Ashton that way during the duel, I felt…..terrible. I can't describe what I was feeling, but it felt like some kind of burning sensation in my heart. Do you know what it might be?"

Laika closed her eyes as she thought of the sensation Ruby was explaining. If she had been rescued by Ashton just yesterday, she would be just as baffled as Ruby. However, Laika knew the feeling very well, as it was a feeling that all of the servants felt for him. "Lady Laika?" The albino Mightyena opened her eyes and surprised Ruby with a very warm smile. "That feeling is 'love'. You were feeling love for him and did not want to see him become something else. I know that feeling. Even though I don't show it, I love Ashton very much."

Ruby looked at the peacefully resting face of her master and thought about Laika's words. (Do I really love him? Enough to mate with him?) Laika interrupted Ruby's daydream, "Just remember, humans are forbidden to mate with Pokemon, so you must keep your love concealed." Ruby was a bit surprised at that, but simply grinned, "That's fine! I only just met him, so it's not like I want to mate with him or anything!" Laika smiled to herself, (Great. That means more for me.)

"Cassandra? Are you in?" Zandria knocked as she slowly nudged the door open. "As promised, here's your…" Zandria stopped as she saw the lovely Absol crying her eyes out in a pillow. "Cassandra?" The young Zangoose approached her friend and took a seat next to her. She gently patted her back, "Come now, there's no reason for someone as cheerful as you to cry."

Cassandra continued to sob into the pillow as Zandria whispered, "It wasn't easy for you to see someone you love become such a hateful demon, was it?" Cassandra simply nodded. "I know that feeling. I could never imagine him to be something so hateful towards his own kind. It was scary to see him that way for all of us. But still, he would never hurt us. You must understand that he holds us too dearly to inflict any harm on us."

Cassandra began to calm down and looked up at Zandria with her face matted with tears. "Oh, look at you. Ashton would be heartbroken to see such beauty marred by tears." Zandria proceeded to dry her face with a paper napkin. "You really…think I'm beautiful?" Cassandra asked. Zandria gave a big toothy grin, "You bet I do! And it's not just your beauty either. Take it from me. Out of all the girls here, I think you have the greatest chance of winning Ashton's heart!"

Cassandra was surprised by the praise that her own rival had given her. "You honestly think that?" Zandria smiled, "Yep! Believe me, there are human woman in this village that would KILL for your gardening talents. You're also the sweetest girl of any specie I've ever met. That face. Those eyes. That fur. Everything about you screams BEAUTIFUL! Especially that tail."

Cassandra looked back at her tail. "What about my tail?" Zandria crawled over to it and held it in her hands. "I've seen Absols before, but I've never seen one with a tail as long and wide as yours. But why is it this color?" Zandria asked as Cassandra's tail glistened in the sunlight. It was a shiny silver color. "I don't know. It's always been that color." Zandria then pointed out, "It's the same color as a sword's blade. And if I recall correctly, it's just as sharp." She recalled the quarrel they had a few days before when Zandria learned of Cassandra's feelings for Ashton.

"Well, it is usually very sharp, but I had Serenade file it until the edges were dull." Zandria then noticed that the edges were quite dull indeed. "OK, but why?" Zandria then noticed that Cassandra was blushing deeply. "Because if it was sharp, Ashton would get hurt." This puzzled the Zangoose for a moment, but she quickly understood why. "I see. That way, he won't impale himself when he mounts you from behind." Cassandra nodded. "Hey, just because you have the greatest chance of him choosing you over everyone else doesn't mean I'll be giving up on him!" Cassandra gave Zandria a fierce smirk. "I wouldn't have it any other way!" The two rivals laughed, knowing that they would have to work hard to outdo each other.

"Oh yes. I almost forgot." Zandria hopped off the bed and went to the door. "As promised." She then pulled in a cart with a freshly baked Triple Chocolate cake. Cassandra's mouth began to water at the sight of her favorite dessert. "And I remembered to use caramel filling too. Anything else you need?" Cassandra snapped back into her senses and nodded, "Yes. Please take a piece to Ashton. I'm sure he'll love it." Zandria laughed, "Trying to get to him through his stomach, eh? Clever."

"Ugh…..huh?" Ashton grunted as he rose from his bed. "Man…what happened?" A familiar voice cried, "Lord Ashton!" He was suddenly tackled by Ruby in a sudden embrace. "We were so worried!" Ashton chuckled as he patted her on the back, "Hey, I'm just fine. Hm?" He saw Laika lying at the far end of the bed while looking at him out of the corner of her eye. Although her face showed no expression, he could see relief in her eyes.

"So, seeing as how I'm still alive, my match ended in my favor?" Laika smirked, "Yeah. Your opponent perished in an unsuccessful suicide attack. You were knocked out, but won since she was dead." Ashton laughed, "Heh, serves her right. No one calls my family Beasts and lives." Laika smiled to herself, (He cares so much for us, yet kills anyone who would badmouth us. Lord Ashton…..you truly are something else.)

"Oh, welcome back, Lord Ashton!" Ashton looked ahead and saw Zandria with a plate in hand that held a slice of cake. "Is that for me?" The Zangoose nodded. "Why…thank you!" Zandria brought the slice over with a fork. "Cassandra wanted me to save you a slice, so here you go!" Ashton smiled, "Give her my thanks!"

Once Ashton had finished the cake, Zandria took the plate back to the kitchen while Ruby went about her business as the maid. She had finally gotten into the habit of always wearing her uniform while on duty. Ashton always thought she was just too cute while wearing it. As he checked the amount of prize money from winning the tournament, he noticed Laika looking at the four paintings in his room.

"I see that you like my work. I painted each of those." Laika saw Zandria, Serenade, Cassandra, and Laura in the paintings. Then, she turned to Ashton and asked, "Master, will you paint me a portrait?" The young knight smiled softly, "Of course. Just give me a minute." Ashton went over to a chest and began rummaging through it. "OK. Pastel. Paint. Brushes. Canvas. Easel. I do believe I'm ready." Laika saw Ashton set up the easel and pinned the canvas to it. "Now then, where would you like me to paint you at?" Laika looked around the room and saw a sofa. "Over here."

Ashton turned the easel to face the sofa as Laika got comfy. "Is there a particular pose you would like me to paint you in?" Laika thought this over and came up with one. She rested against the back with most of her underside visible. Her left eye was half closed to show how relaxed she was. "Magnificent! Hold that pose!" Ashton dipped his brush in white paint and went to work.

A few hours went by as Ashton tried to get a perfect rendition of his loyal guardian on the canvas. During the process, Ashton noticed that Laika was smiling. "I see that you enjoy posing for your portrait!" Of course, Ashton had no idea why Laika had taken the pose she was showing. She was actually displaying herself to her master in an attempt to entice him. Naturally, he could not tell.

"There. It's complete. Would you like to see it?" The Albino Mightyena bounded off the sofa and trotted over to the canvas. "What do you think?" Ashton nearly laughed as Laika's jaw dropped. "Is that…..really me?" Laika could almost see where every single brushstroke happened. But more than anything, she was amazed that she could make out the texture of her fur.

"Laika…?" Ashton had never seen such a look of amazement in her eyes. Much to his shock, the Mightyena began to shed tears. "It's…..fantastic…" Ashton asked, "Is it…truly that good?" She looked up to him and cried, "I can't explain it. I don't know where this feeling came from. Your art simply moved me to tears." Ashton dried her face with his sleeve. "Now there, this painting will always be here for you to appreciate. Once the paint dries, I'll be framing it and will hang it on the wall with the others." Just then, Ruby came in and said, "I think I've dusted everything that needed it, Lord Ashton. Huh?" She walked over and saw the newly finished portrait. "Hey, when are you going to do mine? I was here first!"

In the study, Serenade was pouring over books. "How was he able to do all that? It doesn't add up….." She was desperate for answers to Ashton's strange pyrokinetic powers, but had found no leads so far. Suddenly, she heard someone behind her. "I can save you the trouble. I've read every book here."

Serenade turned and faced Chiara. "You heard everything?" The midget Lugia nodded, "You were searching for answers to Ashton's mastery over fire. Were you not?" Serenade frowned and nodded. "I'm sorry, but whatever means he used to acquire that is not mentioned in any of the books here." She then asked, "Serenade, just how long has he harbored that power?" The Gardevoir whispered, "I honestly can't say. The first time he ever displayed it was when he was five years old."

Chiara thought this over. (Five years old? Then perhaps…) She spoke to Serenade, "The only ones who could possibly know of its origins are his parents." Serenade sighed, "I was afraid of that. I was hoping to never have to ask them, but it seems there's no other option. Thank you, Chiara."

Later that night, Ashton was reading a message from Garyson by candlelight in bed while Laika rested at his side. Just then, they heard someone knocking at the door. "Lord Ashton, are you awake?" He replied, "I am. Please enter, Serenade." The door creaked open and his sister came in with a candle in hand. "I've never seen you up at this hour, sister. What's on your mind?" The graceful Gardevoir took a seat next to her brother as Laika listened in.

"Lord Ashton, I…" Ashton cut her off, "Please, we're siblings. There's no need to be so formal." Serenade giggled, "Sorry, but I prefer it. Anyway, I have a request." Ashton nodded and listened. "Tomorrow, may we visit Mother and Father?" This surprised Ashton greatly, but he smiled and said, "Of course! It's been almost three years since I last saw them! Shall we leave at around noon?" Serenade grinned, "That would be grand! So, I'll see you then. Good night, Ashton."

As Serenade left the room, Laika asked, "I thought you were an orphan." The viscount nodded, "Yes. My biological parents died on the day of my birth, but I was fortunate enough to be taken in by Serenade's parents. I couldn't have asked for a better mother and father." Laika grinned, "So I see. I'll have to see them for myself tomorrow." Ashton yawned, "Of course. Well, it's gotten late, so I'm turning in. Good night, Princess of the Snow." Laika blushed heavily at the compliment. (You have no idea how much it tickles me when you call me that!)

As Ashton fell asleep, Laika stayed awake. She looked over the body of her master and savior. "More than ever, I want to protect you. Be it beast or assassin, I will never allow anyone to take you away from me. Sleep well, my love. I will make sure that you live a enjoyable life."

At an undisclosed location, a Black Wing spy reported to his commanding officer. "So, the most notorious assassin in the kingdom was mutilated and then destroyed by him?" The man grinned wickedly, "He is proving to be better prey with each passing day. I can hardly keep my lance calm." The man, clothed in black with long spiky orange hair, rose from his seat. "The time is near. Soon, he will either join us, or disappear."

The evil knight proceeded down the corridor as he plotted. "It would seem that I've taught you well, Ashton. You've come far. My only hope is that I do not have to kill you. I couldn't have asked for a better student. But what will you do when the ones closest to you are put in peril?"


	8. Mother knows best

"Lord Ashton…..Lord Ashton? Are you ready yet?" A familiar voice spoke as the young viscount stirred. "Uh…is it time already?" He cracked an eye open as bright sunlight shone through the window. He saw Serenade bending over while giving him an excited stare. "I'm sorry for waking you up like this, but I'm just too excited! When can we leave?" Ashton, trying his best to not look down Serenade's dress, replied, "Um, just give me an hour. And ask all the girls if they would like to come." With a bow, Serenade set off down the hall.

As he climbed out of bed, a voice asked, "Lord Ashton?" He turned and saw Laika looking over to him. "Could you tell me about your…..I mean Serenade's parents?" With a grin, Ashton took a seat next to the she wolf. "Very well. Our mother's name is Starlet. She is a very sweet and graceful woman and is very protective of me and Serenade. She used to work as a maid for a wealthy family that was quite close with my parents. As for our father, his name is Siegfried, and he taught me how to use the sword."

Laika went silent as a puzzled expression crept across her muzzle. "A Gardevoir taught you how to wield a sword? I can't seem to picture that in my head." To her surprise, Ashton let out a laugh. "You have a point there! But Siegfried is not a Gardevoir. He is what is called a Gallade." This caught Laika's attention. "And what is that?" Ashton reached into a nearby drawer and pulled out a shiny green stone. "As you know, most Pokemon evolve at some point in their lives. And Kirlia normally evolve into Gardevoir. However, only male Kirlia can evolve into Gallade. For that to happen, they need to be exposed to one of these. This is a Dawn Stone." Just then, Zandria stepped into the room with a cart of food. "Breakfast is ready!"

As Zandria feasted on her breakfast along with Laika and Ashton, the Mightyena asked, "OK, so Siegfried is a Gallade. How much different is a Gallade from a Gardevoir?" Ashton swallowed a mouthful of poached eggs and answered, "Since you know what Serenade looks like, I'll describe the form and abilities of a Gallade. Unlike Gardevoir, their legs are much more muscular and the red horns on their chest and back are more pointed than rounded. They have a crest of sorts on the top of their heads that is a metallic blue color. They also don't wear those flowing white robes. Lastly, they have sword-like blades that extend from their elbows. These blades are used in almost identical fashion to wave swords."

"Good morning, my lord!" Out of nowhere, Laura swooped in and tackled Ashton to the bed, knocking the wind out of him. Laika sprang up, but Zandria grabbed her, "Relax. She does this all the time." When Laika looked over Laura at Ashton's face, she had to suppress a smirk at Ashton's obviously embarrassed face. "Did you sleep well? Is there anything I can get you? Can I…uh…I forget."

A while later, Ashton stood at the gates of the Ketchum estate with Laura, Serenade, Zandria, Cassandra, Aurora, and Laika at his side. "Is that everyone?" Soon, Chiara and Ruby came outside. In Ruby's hands was the Flamberge. "Aren't you forgetting this?" Ashton took the sword from the young Lucario and placed it on his back. "Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Ruby shook her head, "I really want to come, but only Lady Chiara is staying. I think she'll need me while you're away." Aurora smiled, "We won't be gone all that long. Just two days at the very least." Ruby gave her superior a relieved grin. "I'm counting on you and Chiara to mind the estate while we are away. Take care." With a gentle pat on the head, Ashton bid goodbye to the little lady and proceeded to the town of Green Mile.

Along the way through the woods that surrounded the Ketchum estate, Cassandra asked, "Lord Ashton, why do you think Chiara chose to stay behind? I was certain she would've been very excited about meeting your parents." Ashton grinned, "That's because she has already met them. I have asked her to deliver messages to them in the past, and considering how late it was when she returned, they must have been quite hospitable to her." Suddenly, Laika spoke, "Stay close. Green Mile is just ahead."

Ashton looked around as the sounds of commerce filled his ears. The people of Green Mile were going about their business without so much as batting an eye at his entourage. Even so, he kept a hand on the hilt of his sword. There were always rotten apples in the bunch.

"Hey, is that…?" A young woman peeked out from a tailor. A few more joined her and they saw Ashton and his six servants pass by. "It is! Lord Ashton!" In a tizzy, they bolted out the door and dashed after him.

As Ashton stopped for a moment to examine some fresh fruit, he and the girls turned their heads at the sound of screaming. Ashton's face turned blue at the sight of a handful of teenage human girls running towards him. "Good grief. Just when I thought everyone thought me as being insane….."

The love struck girls screamed, "Lord Ashton, please take me!" "Let's get married!" "I want to bear your child!" But just before they reached him, a shockingly furious Laura swooped in front of them and screamed, "BACK OFF WHORES! HE'S MINE!" The sight of an angry Latias threatening them was enough to send the crazed groupies scurrying.

"Lord Ashton! They didn't get to you did they?" Laura was frantically searching over Ashton as her master reeled from her outburst. (I don't believe I have EVER seen her angry before! But why was she like that?) As Ashton pondered this, Laura sighed, "Phew…they didn't get you." But just then, she had a sneaky thought. "Oh my! They did! They put a scratch on your face!" Ashton was surprised and asked, "Where? I was certain that they did not reach me!" The Shiny Latias giggled, "Oh, it's not that bad. It's just a tiny scratch. I'll just kiss it to make it better."

Ashton thought Laura was being serious and just stood there as she narrowed the distance between their faces. Unfortunately for her, Zandria and Cassandra could tell what she was truly plotting and yelled, "Don't get sweet with him!" Together, the two rivals tackled Laura to the ground as a bewildered Ashton watched.

As a minor scuffle formed, a mercenary at an outdoor tavern laughed, "That boy has quite a variety of breeds, eh?" A companion of his commented, "Aye. I hear he has eight in total, and they're deadly protective of him." The mercenary then joked, "And it looks like they're really in top form! But then again, a knight has to keep his t-mmmph!" His partner grabbed him and covered his mouth with a hand. "You twit! Have you forgotten what he did to the poor sap who made the mistake of calling his servants tools?" The mercenary looked back ahead and began to sweat at the sight of Ashton looking over his shoulder with a glare that showed he was aware of what he had nearly spoken. "Yeah. You remember, right?" The mercenary nodded and was released. "Thanks. I do remember. Even though I wish I couldn't….."

A year ago, Ashton had come down to the market during mid autumn. This was before he had armed himself with the Flamberge, so he instead had a battle axe on his back. Zandria, who had not yet perfected speaking English, accompanied him. They had come to an area specializing in foods. Zandria needed some in order to cook for Ashton and Serenade.

"Zandria." The Zangoose looked up at her master, "Y-yes…Lord…Ashton?" The young viscount gave her a gentle head rub. "I'm glad to see that you're still practicing. It won't be long before you can speak as well as Serenade. Now then, see that?" Ashton pointed towards a certain merchant who seemed to be selling various jewelry. "Take a look at those and tell me if there's something you would like." Zandria smiled, and then ran over to the merchant.

As soon as Zandria ran up to the merchant, the old man shouted, "Hey! Shoo! Away, you little scamp!" Zandria then replied, "Um…just looking!" The merchant was quite surprised that this Zangoose could speak, but Zandria took advantage of his confusion by quickly browsing the stock of jewelry. Once she had given the inventory the once-over, Zandria ran back over to Ashton.

"Lord Ashton!" Zandria jumped onto her master's back, giving him quite a start. "What the? Who…oh. So, anything catch your eye?" The Zangoose nodded, "Yes! It's…uh…" Ashton chuckled, "Why don't you just show me?" He then turned and walked towards the merchant. "Oh, and it's really not wise to jump on my back when I have a weapon there. Make sure I'm not carrying anything next time."

"Not you again. Begone!" Ashton barked at the merchant, "That's enough! She's with me." The merchant backed down at Ashton's outburst. "Now, which one did you like?" Zandria looked over his shoulder and pointed at what seemed to be a circlet with an opal on the front. Ashton grinned as he remembered doing some research on Zandria's birth and discovered that her birthstone is the opal. (I never was able to find the day of her birth, but I know she was born in October. This will make a fine birthday present for her.)

After purchasing the circlet, Ashton smiled at Zandria, who was looking at him over his shoulder. "This will make a fine gift for someone. You have quite an eye for jewelry." The Zangoose blushed at his praise, but they were interrupted by a passing 'breeder' of Pokemon. Of course, breeding methods back then were far less tasteful and bordered on barbaric.

"To think you'd let one of your slaves choose something from a jeweler. I'd check to make sure it's authentic if I were you." Ashton grumbled, "Pay him no heed, Zandria." But the breeder went on, "What's wrong with you? Tools are supposed to be locked up at home until needed! What would you need to bring one down here for?" At this, Ashton froze in his tracks. "Yeah, you heard me. Those little things are just our tools. If they break, just toss them out. Don't tell me you never knew that?"

Everyone nearby began to back away as Ashton stood there without making a move. Soon he whispered, "What did you call them?" The breeder did not quite hear him and asked, "Huh? What was that?" Ashton then turned slightly and growled, "That term you just used… What was it?" The breeder shook his head in disgust, "Ignorant AND deaf. I said that you don't understand that tools should be kept at home and discarded if they can't be used anymore." At this, everyone quickly left the street in droves. A bartender at an inn nearby groaned as he watched from a window, "That fool's a dead man."

With a stern voice, Ashton ordered, "Zandria, it would be best if you got off me." Even the young female could not ignore her master's sudden change in mood. She quickly hopped off and asked, "Lord A-Ashton? What…is…?" She stopped when he gently laid a hand on her head. "Go. Return to the estate. You don't want to see this." Taking his word for it, Zandria sprinted through the village back home on all fours.

"Are you aware of what you just did?" Ashton growled as he placed a hand on his axe's handle. "Yeah, I know what the rumors say about you. Everyone's afraid of you since you kill anyone who calls the ones who live with you 'Beasts'. But I never even said the word, so you've got nothing on me. Farewell." But as the breeder turned his back, Ashton dashed up to him and slammed him into a stone wall with a hand on his throat! "True, but what you called them is far worse. By calling them 'Beasts' you are at least acknowledging them as living creatures. But by calling them 'Tools' you are saying they are just that. Mere objects. So can you guess what I'm going to do to you?" Ashton gave the breeder a very cruel smile as he removed his axe from his back. "No? Drawing blanks, are you? Well then, I'll tell you!" Using the blunt end of his axe's head, Ashton made an underhand swing and smashed the left leg of his victim! "I'm gonna make you wish I killed you quickly!"

The breeder screamed in agony as Ashton dropped him to the ground, clutching his leg as blood turned his pants leg dark. "That'll stop you from running. Now let's go." Ashton then grabbed the unharmed right leg and dragged him down the street with him screaming all the way. "No, please! I'm sorry that I insulted them! It won't happen again!" Ashton paid him no heed as they approached the square where much commerce took place. The instant Ashton set foot into the square; everyone present stopped and stared as he dragged his victim towards the center.

Once he was certain everyone could get a good look, Ashton dropped the leg and shouted, "None of you seem to understand. But should anyone refer to my family as 'Tools', you will meet this poor fool's fate! Now observe!" Taking his axe in both hands, Ashton brought the blade down on the base of the breeder's already broken leg. A sickening blow was heard as the leg was severed in a spray of blood. The breeder could not help screaming in searing pain. But by this time, Ashton had grown quite annoyed with his screams and gave a quick kick to the head to knock him out. "That'll shut him up." He then proceeded to sever the other leg, and then the arms, all the while maidens screamed in horror at this gruesome execution.

With the breeder steadily bleeding to death, Ashton turned to the crowd and yelled, "Let this be a lesson to you all! If anyone and I really do mean ANYONE, even the queen, has enough of a death wish to call my family 'Tools', then you'll get THIS!" Ashton then raised his axe above his head and brought it down hard, smashing the skull of the mortally wounded fool. The carnage that oozed from the remains was horrendous to the extreme as multiple thuds were heard as fainting women collapsed to the ground. Suddenly, Ashton turned and yelled, "YOU GOT THAT?" The fact that everyone present that were still conscious fled in terror was a sign that they all understood. Ashton then turned his back on his axe and his latest victim as he headed back home, an angry scowl adorning his face.

"All right, that's enough! Laura, Zandria, Cassandra! Stop that and let's get going!" At the sound of his voice, the three ladies clambered to their feet and brushed themselves off. "Please forgive us, my lord. I don't know what came over us." Cassandra bowed along with Laura and Zandria. "Well just keep your emotions in check until we reach our destination. I don't want to have to pay for property damage." Without anymore disturbances, the small entourage reached the city limits and was on their way north.

"Lord Ashton, just how long do you believe it will take for us to reach our destination?" Aurora asked as they trekked along the road leading north as rays of light shone through the trees. The path was covered by overlapping tree branches to protect travelers from the elements in harsh weather. "Oh, I'd say we should arrive before sundown if we keep going without interruptions. It's not far from Verdant."

Zandria was curious of where this town of Verdant was and asked, "What is Verdant? A city?" However, Ashton kept walking without saying a word. A strange silence filled the area as Zandria waited for her answer. Serenade then asked, "Lord Ashton?" That's when he asked with a sheepish smile, "Uh, is Chiara not here?" Everyone came to an abrupt stop and glared at him. Zandria growled, "She stayed behind! Have you forgotten?"

Ashton scratched his head in embarrassment. "Ugh. To think I would forget that someone was missing. Sorry about that. Now, you wanted to know about Verdant?" Zandria nodded. "OK, but I'll tell you as we go. Come." He then continued north as the rest followed, except for Laika. She stayed at the front to watch for danger.

Ashton then looked back at the ladies and spoke, "Now then, Verdant is the second most prosperous city in Rohta. Its prosperity comes from being a crossroads to Green Mile and the village of Slatis to the north, an outpost that produces many raw materials used throughout the kingdom to manufacture various goods, mostly weapons and armor. It is also the crossroad to the neighboring Kingdom of Clavice. A forest known as the Dead Forest makes up the border between our kingdom and the one of Clavice. And before anyone asks, no. It is not the Black Woods where Sabrina dwells. That place is located just to the south and a bit west of Green Mile."

Overcome with curiosity, Laika turned and asked, "Why is it called the Dead Woods?" Ashton came to a sudden stop. "Well, it would be best to tell the story at night, but I'd rather not wait around for the sun to set." But then, he looked back at everyone with an extremely mischievous grin on his face, "But if you want to know badly enough, I can make it so." Laura squealed, "Ooh, ooh, ooh, is it a spooky story?" Ashton cackled, "Oh yes, as spooky as they come!" Aurora laughed, "Fine, you've piqued my curiosity, my lord. Please do tell." Ashton then brought his hands together and laughed, "So be it. But can you stomach it?"

As the viscount muttered some kind of chant, an eerie wind began to whistle through the trees as darkness closed around them. "I picked this up from a little tome I discovered in the study at home. There's no need to be alarmed." Soon, it was just as dark as a moonless night. "Hurry up already! We don't want to waste too much time here!" Zandria yelled in frustration. "Very well, but rest assured that this will give you nightmares. So, shall we begin, my dears?"

Ashton, barely visible in the darkness, spoke, "Some time ago, about 300 years at least, there existed a heartless butcher that wandered the land, slaughtering everyone it came across. No one knows the name of this apparition, but it was feared far and wide as it was known to kill even entire armies that sought to destroy it." Ashton then proceeded to take the Flamberge in his hand. "They say that its weapon of choice was something similar to mine. It could slay everything around it with one wide swing of its accursed weapon." Zandria then joked, "I'm sure this monster was just you on one of your rampages….urk?" Zandria froze when she found a very creepy face right in front of her. "Shall I continue?" The Zangoose cracked a very nervous smile as sweat trickled down her face.

"As I was saying, this creature was hated by all, and the Kingdom of Clavice was no exception. When it was discovered that this butcher's trail of death was making its way to the border of the two kingdoms, the entire Clavice army was there waiting. They were lying in ambush in what would come to be known as the Dead Forest as the Knighthood of Rohta closed in from the other direction to make sure that there was no escape. Still, it was not an easy battle." Out of nowhere, the sounds of battle came with metal clashing and battle cries. "This beast was nothing like this world had ever seen. When it finally met its end in that forest, this butcher was rumored to have been surrounded by mountains of corpses. Its cursed blood spread through the ground, twisting the trees into hideous shapes. To this day, it is said that the butcher somehow was able to escape death and is reincarnated every several decades, although there has never been any recording of when and where it appears."

As the veil of darkness disappeared, Ashton had to hold his breath at the sight of his six servants huddled around each other with wide eyes staring at him. Even the stern-faced Laika was not able to hide her horror. Finally, Ashton could not hold out and laughed, "Don't worry so much! It's just a legend! I'm fairly doubtful that such a creature could even exist in the first place!" He then placed the Flamberge on his back again. Suddenly, Cassandra yelled, "That was so creepy! Real or not, that story will leave me jittery for a while!"

Upon arrival, Ashton pointed out some certain spots. "Well, this is Verdant. The academy Garyson and I attended is right there." A fortress of a structure could be seen over the rooftops in the distance. "Garyson also lives here, so don't be surprised if we see him." Suddenly, Laura shouted, "Oh boy, I remember that!" She then flew over to what seemed to be a bakery. "Gah! Laura, what're you doing?" She called back, "Just getting some goodies! This place has some really good pastries!" Ashton yelled, "That's what almost got you killed last time! Hold on." As Ashton walked over, Cassandra asked Serenade, "What was Ashton talking about?" The Gardevoir replied, "This is where he saved Laura. She got in trouble for stealing food from the locals. That just might be one of them."

"Yes, that'll be all. Thanks again." Ashton carried a sack of pastries back over to his servants while Laura snacked on one. "Mmmm! Just as tasty as I remember!" Ashton then said, "I got one for each of us. Enjoy." One by one, Ashton handed out a pastry to each of the ladies, plus an extra to Laura since she liked them so much. But for Cassandra, Aurora, and Laika, Ashton had to feed them himself since they lacked hands. "Wow, that's good! I've got to figure out the recipe for these." Zandria sighed as she licked her lips. "Same here! There's cream filling and a layer of powdered sugar…oh! And I taste a bit of fudge!" Cassandra commented as she swallowed her load.

A few hours had passed as Ashton's entourage continued north into the Viridian Forest. The sun had started to become lower in the sky as evening approached. Aurora looked around, "We've made good time. I'm surprised we made it before nightfall." Ashton then spoke, "We're not there just yet. Stay close. Oh?" Ashton stopped abruptly to see Laika standing still, slightly twitching her ears. "Someone….." Ashton bent down next to her. "Is there someone coming?" Laika whispered, "No. It's stationary. Someone…is singing… It sounds like…a woman in her early 30s. To the east." Suddenly, Ashton stood up and broke into a run towards the east. "Huh? Where are you going?" Laika yelled, but Aurora interrupted, "Let's just follow. I'm sure I have a hunch of who is singing."

For a few minutes Ashton made his way through the forest without resting. "This place is starting to look familiar. Wait…" He stopped at what sounded like running water. As he approached the source of the sound, he stopped at the sight of the very stream where he had often played with Serenade as a young child. "Nothing has changed. It's just as I remember." Knowing exactly where he was, Ashton made his way a bit further to the east. Very soon he came to a small clearing in which stood a familiar looking cottage. "I…I'm home…"

It was then that Ashton heard what he had been hoping to hear. Sneaking around to the other side of his former home, he came within sight of the well where his family acquired their drinking water. And standing next to the well while singing a pleasant tune was a lovely female Gardevoir hanging up laundry to dry. "Mother….."

Starlet had just finished hanging up the bed sheets when she heard a twig snap and turned to see the source of the sound. She gasped to see what seemed to be a young knight with a very large sword on his back standing motionless. It took her a moment, but she saw some similarities. "Ashton…..?" The knight replied tearfully, "Yes. It is I, Mother." He then quickly walked over to her and embraced her while sobbing.

"I feared that some vicious bandit had murdered you…I was so fearful that I would find this place abandoned…" Ashton could not stop himself from weeping in the arms of the woman who had raised him. Starlet whispered, "There now. You need not worry about us. Your father has worked diligently to improve his fighting skills to keep us safe. Still, I missed you and Serenade sorely as well. Please, let me have a look at you."

Ashton took a step back as his mother circled him. "My word, has it really only been two years? You're even more handsome than before!" Ashton chuckled, "Yes, it really has only been two years." But then Starlet took a close look at his sword. "Just what is this monstrosity? Just how do you manage to walk with it?" Ashton blushed while letting out a boyish giggle, "It's quite a long story. I'll just say I had some help." His mother then rested her head on his shoulder. "You truly are the son I always wanted. Is it true that you have taken in several Pokemon into your home?" Ashton gave her a very warm smile. "Yes. In all there are eight of them, including Serenade." But Starlet replied, "Well speak of the devil." Ashton looked ahead and saw Serenade peeping around the corner of the cottage.

"I see Mother is just as attached to you as ever, Ashton." Serenade giggled as her brother blushed at their pose. "True, but that doesn't mean I treasure you less." Starlet then glided over to her daughter and embraced her. "I missed you, Mother." Starlet replied, "I've prayed for you and your brother every night since you departed. I see that my prayers were not ignored." Just then, a familiar voice screamed, "AH, LADY KETCHUM!"

Starlet was suddenly tackled by a certain Shiny Latias as the rest of Ashton's entourage arrived. "It's such an honor to meet the mother of such a darling boy! Your son is the sweetest man I've ever had the privilege of serving!" Starlet managed to pry off her unexpected tackler and noticed something. "A Latias? Oh, you must be Laura! Yes, I am Ashton's mother. You seem to be the life of the party!" Ashton added, "You have no idea. At times I think she would be better off as the royal jester!" Laura heard and cried, "That's so mean! Do you not want me around anymore?" The Latias burst into tears as she simply floated there. Embarrassed, Ashton walked over to her and embraced her. "Please don't cry. I'm sorry I offended you. Honestly." However, he soon saw her neck bend backwards as she let out a sigh, her head hanging upside-down. "Oh man! Did she pass out? Laura!" Ashton gave her a few goods shakes, but she remained unconscious.

"Don't worry, dear. It seems she just fainted." Starlet pointed out, not bothering to mention the very deep blush on Laura's face. "I, uh, see. Well then, allow me to introduce you to my new family." Ashton walked over to the other girls and began with Zandria. "This is Zandria. She is the chef of the estate." The Zangoose bowed, "A pleasure to meet you, Lady Ketchum." Starlet brought a hand to her face as she giggled, "Such a doll! But my last name is not Ketchum. Just call me Starlet."

Ashton then proceeded over to Cassandra. "This is Cassandra. She is the gardener of the estate. A lovely girl, if I do say so myself." Cassandra blushed, "You speak too highly of me, my lord!" "Nonsense! Why should I belittle any of you?" Starlet sighed, "It pleases my soul that you see us Pokemon as equals, Ashton." With a warm tone, Ashton replied, "I have you and Father to thank for that."

The viscount then proceeded over to the head maid. "This is Aurora. She is the head maid, so she commands the others when I'm not able to." With the grace of any queen, the Suicune bowed, "It is an honor, Lady Starlet." Ashton's mother smiled, "She is very beautiful." Ashton then smirked, "Being the eldest of the eight, she is much more mature. It's only natural to have such wisdom when you're over 300 years old." Starlet staggered back, "300? There's no way! How could a woman so beautiful be so elderly?" Aurora let out a good laugh and said, "That is because I am immortal. My body does not age. My mind continues to grow wiser while my form does not decay at all." Starlet sighed, "If only I had such youth….."

Ashton spoke, "But you don't look a day older since I last saw you! But anyway…" He then stood next to Laika. "This is Laika. She is my personal guardian and is the most recent addition to the family." The albino Mightyena just stood there with a stony expression. "So you've been watching over my son? My sincere thanks, Miss Laika." However, the she wolf remained silent. "Uh, don't mind her if she seems rude. She's had a very hard life up until she met me. She usually only speaks when she has to." Ashton spoke with a smile, hoping to make his mother understand.

"Oh yes, where is Father?" Ashton asked. "He's downstairs. I'm sure he would be thrilled to see you." Starlet replied as her son disappeared inside their home. But it did not take long for Ashton to remember, "Wait a minute. We never even HAD a second floor! Where is he?" Ashton looked around for a moment until he found a hatch that led down a short flight of stairs underground. "This was never here. Must be new."

Ashton quietly crept down the stairs and found himself at the end of a hallway carved out of the ground itself. "Impressive…most impressive." There were about seven doorways in total with curtains that acted as doors, seeing as how doors would be difficult to install there. But soon he noticed in one of the rooms a Gallade moving around some furniture. Placing his hand on the hilt of the Flamberge, Ashton yelled, "SNEAK ATTACK!"

The instant Ashton shouted his challenge; the Gallade extended his elbow blades without even turning around. Suddenly, he heard a strange sound followed by Ashton saying, "What the devil?" The Gallade turned and stared at the sight of Ashton's sword stuck in the low ceiling. He had tried to perform an overhead swing and had dug the blade into the earth above him! After a brief struggle, Ashton managed to dislodge the blade, only to have a load of water pour onto him!

Overcome with embarrassment, Ashton sheepishly put the Flamberge back on his back with a nervous smile. Unfortunately for him, the Gallade was quite annoyed and yelled, "Ashton, you klutz! That was the bathtub you put a hole in!" The Gallade glared at Ashton as he looked as if he was about to run him through with his blades. But instead, he sheathed them and chuckled, "Still, accidents happen. I just never expected you to pull such a diabolical weapon on me! I could swear I trained you to wield the sword, not the axe!" Ashton laughed, "It's a zweihander! But I'm glad to see that you're still the man I idolized, Father!" The two of them embraced each other tightly. Siegfried, though hiding it, was nearly at the point of weeping to see his son alive.

After a moment of bonding, Ashton finally brought up the question. "Father, just WHAT did you do here? Don't tell me you dug all this earth out on your own?" Siegfried gave a hearty laugh and said, "Of course not! Your mother and I enlisted the aid of some neighbors." This baffled Ashton to no end. "But I've never seen anyone else around here." Siegfried added, "True, but that's because they usually live underground. They're…ah! There they are now!"

Ashton thought he heard a parade of sorts and ran back out into the hall. Soon, an entire swarm of Diglett, in a single file line, came pouring out of a small hole in the earthen wall and down the hall. "Diglett dig, Diglett dig, Diglett dig, Diglett dig, Diglett dig, Diglett dig, Diglett dig, Diglett dig!" Ashton followed them down to the end of the hall and looked into the last room to see them evening out the walls and floor! "Diglett. Who knew?" After barely a minute they shuffled out of the room and down the hall. Siegfried waved, "Thanks again, lads!" just as they disappeared through the tunnel they entered through.

"Now then, why did you excavate these…4, 5, 6, 7 rooms under our home?" Ashton asked with his arms crossed. Siegfried gave him a sneaky smirk and spoke, "I'm surprised you haven't thought of it yet. When Chiara visited us last time, she told us how many Pokemon you had brought into your home. So just in case the whole lot of you visited, your mother and I enlisted the aid of those Diglett to carve out some extra guest rooms, plus a couple more should you add to your family. Speaking of which, how many are living with you now?" Ashton nodded at his father's ingenuity and replied, "In all, there are nine of us living there."

Siegfried smiled, "Good. The seven rooms down here should cover you all. Your's and Serenade's rooms are still just the way they were when you left. The tree roots here and there provide air so the lamps don't use it all up. Say, would you introduce me to the girls you brought along?" Ashton chuckled, "Sure, just as long as you don't try to woo them." Siegfried began to sweat, "Very funny. Your mother is the only woman who has ever caught my eye. Now let's go."

A bit later, Siegfried demonstrated his swordsmanship skills with a duel against Ashton while five of the girls watched. Zandria and Starlet were preparing dinner inside. The Gallade kept his distance to avoid the long reach of the Flamberge, but Ashton surprised him with a sudden burst of speed, ramming Siegfried with his shoulder and sending his father rolling over backwards. The instant Siegfried got to his knees; he felt the tip of Ashton's sword lightly touching his throat. "Checkmate, Father."

Siegfried laughed, "The last thing I ever expected was to be bested by someone wielding such a large and heavy weapon. You have surpassed me, my son." After placing his sword on his back, Ashton took his father's hand and helped him to his feet. "Thanks, but if it was anyone else, you would've torn them to shreds." Just then, they all smelled the aroma of various foods coming from the cottage. "Mmmm. Brings back memories. And that duel worked up my appetite. Shall we?"

As Siegfried and his son walked in, Zandria spoke up immediately. "Lord Ashton, you be the judge!" He replied, "To what?" The Zangoose pointed at the dinner table. There were two plates of each different food laid out across from each other. "Your mother and I had a little contest. We both cooked the same amount of food, but in our own styles. You will be the taste tester and decide which of us has the best cooking skills." Ashton brought a hand to his face, "You developed a rivalry with my own mother? Can't you let things be just once? Whatever, I accept!"

Ashton sat at the head of the long table while his mother and Zandria sat at opposite sides next to him. Two plates were passed along to him with each carrying food cooked exclusively by each cook, so as to not confuse them. Zandria's cooking was placed on his left while Starlet's was on his right. It became eerily silent as Ashton took his silverware in hand. "I will start with Zandria's cooking." Ashton cut away a piece of roasted chicken and slowly chewed. Next he took a bite of the fried potatoes. Next on the list were the green beans and carrots. He then finished off the lot with fresh fruit porridge of sorts that had been made by mixing together various fruits and grinding them into mush. As he wiped his face, Ashton commented, "I have no complaints. Your cooking is as fine as ever."

Next Ashton went for Starlet's cooking, eating the goods in the same order as before. He began with the chicken and ended with the fruit dish. As he finished his second plate, Ashton looked around at the eager faces of his family. With a sigh, he faced Zandria and said, "My apologies Zandria, but you still are not yet up to my Mother's level."

At this declaration, Zandria sat up and shouted, "What do you mean? Are you saying I'm not gifted enough?" Starlet answered, "That's not the point. Let me explain please." Zandria reluctantly took her seat with a sour expression. Starlet then spoke, "I was self taught in the cooking arts. What's more, I have been cooking almost everyday for the past 16 years. I heard about how talented you were when you cooked for the very first time. And that was just over a year ago. If you keep going, you will surpass me. After all, I was not a natural when I first started."

Even with her masters' mother's kind words, Zandria was not convinced that she had been outdone. "I'll be the judge of this." Sticking some potatoes with her claws, Zandria took a bite with gusto. But as she chewed, her face began to look less angry and more bewildered. Siegfried chuckled to himself, (This is going to be good.) A moment of awkward silence passed after Zandria swallowed her load, but she soon turned and laid her upper body face down across the table while avoiding the food in a type of bow. "Mistress, please teach me!" Starlet gave Zandria a gentle pat on the head and raised her face until they were eye to eye. "Absolutely. Just make sure you can learn what you can before you leave."

That night, everyone was snuggly asleep. Cassandra, Laura, Aurora, and Zandria were sleeping in the guest rooms underground while Ashton and Serenade were resting in their old bedrooms. Of course, Laika was sleeping at Ashton's feet to defend him should the need arise. However, he was lying awake in bed as he listened to the sounds of the night throughout the forest.

Suddenly Ashton looked to the left as he heard his door creak open. "Still awake, dear?" A smile crept across his face as his mother walked in with a candle in hand. "I'm surprised that you're still awake. Are you worried about Chiara?" Her son sighed, "Just a little. It's mostly Ruby I fear for." Starlet asked, "I do not believe I know of her. Could you tell me?" Ashton looked up at her and said, "She is a Lucario that I took in not long ago. She is the youngest of the eight girls that live with me. I fear what might happen if she were put in danger." Starlet then set her candle down on a nearby desk. When she took a seat next to Ashton's head, she whispered, "You need not worry so much. Chiara is with her, and I know for a fact that she is far more powerful than her size shows."

Ashton took some comfort in his mother's words, but when he looked up at her, he saw something familiar. Hanging from around her neck was a gem of sorts which was resting on her breasts. "Mother, is that…?" Starlet looked down and held up the jewel she was wearing. "Oh yes, I'm so glad that you noticed. This is the very same peridot that you gave me when you were five years old. Your father polished and cut it and made a necklace with it. I promised that I would treasure it, and I'm sticking with that vow." Ashton gave a pleased gaze, but said, "Mother, I'm a tad thirsty. Could you please fetch me something?" An odd smile came across her face as she asked, "Would some warm fresh milk do?" Ashton shrugged his shoulders, "I suppose." With a grin, Starlet closed her eyes and gripped the green cloth on the right side of her chest. "Mother…? What are you…" Before Ashton could complete his sentence, Starlet had yanked down one side of her vest, allowing her breast to be shown.

Ashton was on the verge of panic as he stared at his own mother's breast. "Mother, this isn't right! What do you…?" He suddenly calmed down as she lifted his head a little. "There's nothing wrong with a mother feeding her child. Why, you would suckle from my breast up until you turned six." Ashton blushed; surprised that he could not remember such a time. "But Mother, after 15 years, I don't believe it's possible to do this." Starlet giggled and held her breast with a hand. "Think again." With a very small squeeze, a stream of milk squirted onto Ashton's face.

"Is this real?" Ashton tasted the milk, but could not tell very well due to the small amount. Starlet cooed, "I don't know how to explain it. Every now and then my breasts become heavy with milk, as if I had just given birth. I usually just squeeze it out, but I don't want it to go to waste this time." Ashton thought this over for a moment, and then sighed, "Very well, but just this once." Starlet nodded and lifted her son's face to her breast. As he began to suck, Starlet gasped with delight. "The feeling of my milk being consumed by my own child…..it brings back so many memories." Starlet could remember the time just minutes after giving birth to her own daughter when her master's closest friends had passed away from a dreadful disease.

(I remember…those innocent dark brown eyes staring up at me. The doubt I had for fear of you viewing me as an underling. But the way you reached out to me, the way any newborn would reach out to its mother. I felt as if I had just given birth a second time. As if I had given birth to you. You were human, and I was not. But it did not matter. You were my only son. And I strived to be the best mother I could, and I am proud to have succeeded.) Starlet closed her eyes as tears of love began to trickle down her face.

Ashton finally drained as much milk as he could before he let go. "Strange…..I almost recognize the flavor." When he looked up, he saw his mother crying. "Mother, why are you crying?" Starlet opened her eyes and smiled, "Because I am so proud to have you as a son." She then held Ashton to her chest tightly, as if he would disappear forever any second. "Mother, please. I'm 15 years old. And to top it off, I'm a certified knight. Don't you think this is somewhat improper?" At this, Starlet loosened her grip and looked him in the eyes. "Ashton, no matter how old you become or what role you take, you will always be my precious little boy." This remark somehow touched Ashton deeply as it brought a tear to his eye. "I love you too, Mother." With one last kiss, Ashton covered up for the night as Starlet took her candle and moved on down to Serenade's room. She was not the least bit surprised to find her daughter lying awake as well.

"Serenade, there is something you've been meaning to speak with me in private about, yes?" The teenage Gardevoir nodded. (I have not seen that look in her eyes for ten years. What happened?) Setting down her candle, Starlet took a seat next to her daughter. "I almost never saw you like this. What is troubling you?" To her shock, she saw tears building in Serenade's eyes. "It…it happened again….."

Worried, Starlet whispered, "Please tell me everything." Serenade continued, "Just yesterday, Ashton took part in a tournament to win some extra funds. But his final opponent was the Night Hawk, the most wanted assassin in the kingdom. She proved to be too much, and she kept insulting us throughout the match. Just before she was about to kill him…..he changed."

Starlet listened carefully as her daughter held back tears. "He…he changed completely. He was no longer the boy we know. He became enshrouded with flames, and a pair of rainbow wings sprouted from his back. He was bloodthirsty, and he was beyond cruel. When the fight ended, there was absolutely nothing left of the Night Hawk, not even ashes. If Aurora and I had not intervened, he would have slaughtered the audience as well." After a moment of silence, Serenade turned and pleaded with tears falling, "Mother, you must know! Why did he become that way? Where did he acquire such power?"

Starlet embraced her teary-eyed daughter and whispered, "I don't know the precise reason of how he entered that state you spoke of, but…" Serenade looked at her mother, "But what? Did something happen?" Starlet sighed, "Your father and I have kept this a secret from everyone, but I will tell you." Serenade stared as she listened, but her mother added, "But please, do not tell Ashton." Serenade nodded, knowing that she only wanted the best for her brother.

Starlet began, "It all began just a few weeks after the two of you were born. Ashton became infected with the very same disease that had claimed his parents. We tried everything we could to cure him, but its grip on him was far too strong. Your father and I…we were grief-stricken, as if we had already lost him. But you, the way you were by his side at all times, I could see that you were suffering even more than we were. You would weep in sorrow every time he screamed when wracked with pain. He continued to scream and scream, until he was too weak to make another sound." Serenade saw tears falling from her eyes as she retold Ashton's brush with death.

"Over the course of one week, Ashton was screaming and writhing in pain. But at the end, he was as silent as a corpse. He was not dead, but not alive either. That night….." Starlet continued, her voice beginning to break, "I went outside and screamed to the sky. I pleaded for someone to save my son. For anyone who could hear me to bring my son back from Death's door. I pleaded, and I may have been delirious while doing so, but before long, my pleas were heard."

Serenade asked, "Who was it? Who heard you?" Starlet continued, a bit calmer now. "I heard a voice that seemed to come from all directions. It sounded like the voice of an angel. She told me to bring my son to the Dead Forest if I wished to save him. Wasting no time, I snatched him up and went there as quickly as I could. At night, that place is the most haunting forest in the kingdom, but when I arrived, a trail of rainbow lights streaked along the ground. Hoping for the best, I followed them. Hardly two minutes had passed when I came to a clearing. It was then that I met the owner of the voice I had heard. She was not an angel, but she may as well have been one."

Serenade was mesmerized by the tale her own mother was telling her. "The person who had heard my pleas was the Phoenix of legend. Ho-oh. She instructed me to set my child before her, which I did. She draped him with her rainbow wing and spoke, 'This child is one who will have a profound influence on the world. If he dies, many will suffer.' It was then that a brilliant flame engulfed her wing. I wanted to reach in and pull Ashton out, but I told myself that this was for the best. When the flame died out, Ho-oh raised her wing, and I was overcome with gratitude to see Ashton looking around in curiosity."

Serenade wiped a tear away to hear that she had nearly lost her brother at such a young age, even before she could remember him. However, Starlet added, "Just before Ho-oh departed, she gave me a warning. 'Humans are not as spiritually pure as I am. They are angered all too easily. It is for the best that the world does not discover why I must not become enraged.' With that, she departed. When I held Ashton in my arms again, he was very happy to see me, as if he knew that he was about to leave us forever. But Ho-oh's parting warning haunted me."

Serenade now understood what Ho-oh's warning meant. "I see now. When she burned away what was harming Ashton, she infused him with her own power. He is practically a human Ho-oh now. But when he becomes enraged, he is a threat to everything around him. That is why Ho-oh must not become consumed with fury. Her rage would scorch the earth until all life ceased." Starlet stood up and said, "Just remember, Ashton must not know of this." But just as she was reaching for her candle, Starlet stopped. "Mother…?"

Starlet turned and faced her daughter. "Thank goodness. I nearly forgot. Serenade, I have been meaning to ask you one request." The young Gardevoir was puzzled, but it must have been important and personal if she wanted to ask her in private. "Please, someday when you feel the time is right, marry Ashton."

Serenade was both shocked and embarrassed of what her mother had just asked of her. "Mother! Are you mad? How can I marry my own brother?" Starlet laughed at her daughter's reaction, "He is not your true brother. He is adopted. Surely you can see that." Serenade sighed, knowing that she and Ashton were not even remotely related. She was a pureblooded Gardevoir while he was a pureblooded human. But that's when her mother surprised her more. "Just between you and me, if I had never met your father, I would've claimed Ashton as my husband and never left his side!"

Serenade was not entirely sure if she should have been feeling amused or disgusted. The very thought of her mother having an intimate relationship with her brother was almost unbearable. "I'm very serious. He is the most darling and loving boy I have ever known. If I was still single, I would take him and bear his children many times over. I would protect him with my life. Of course, I could never leave Siegfried. I just love him too dearly." Starlet blushed as she thought of the possibilities of having Ashton as a husband.

"I'm sorry if this sounds unbelievable, but it is entirely your decision, Serenade. But please do not tell your father or Ashton about anything I told you tonight. Good night, dear." Starlet gave her daughter one last kiss on the forehead before taking her candle and heading off to bed herself.

For a time, Serenade just laid there in bed, playing her mother's request over in her head. Was it even possible for a human to love a Pokemon like a marital partner? (Even if we aren't related, I'm not sure if I even love him like that. Does he love me like that? I just don't know…..) She then began to think out loud. "Still, there was that time he defended me from those bandits. And he always cooked for me before Zandria showed up. And the…wait…the party?"

Serenade remembered when Ashton was invited to a royal gathering at the castle where many guests danced. Ashton insisted that she join him, even though the other guests would not approve of her presence. As expected, they paid no attention and she was barred from any of the food that was served. However, Ashton did one thing that night that no one expected. He asked Serenade to dance with him.

As they glided across the dance floor, everyone present stared with the sole exception of the musicians. Serenade felt horribly embarrassed, but Ashton's kind gaze washed her fears away. Without fear weighing her down, Serenade danced with even more grace and flair than her brother. But he shocked her at the end by giving her the most unexpected and wonderful kiss she had ever received, much to the shock and disgust of the other guests.

Serenade brought a hand to her lips as she remembered the sensation of his lips touching her own. "He kissed me…he actually kissed me…..and not a peck on the cheek, but a genuine kiss…" As the memory of that kiss filled her mind, Serenade's fears disappeared and she felt her true desires that had been held back by her belief that she could never feel this way about a human, even more so than the human who she had always been taught to view as a brother.

"Mother…..I do. I really do love him." Serenade brought a hand to her chest as she began to drift off to sleep. "Someday…yes. Someday I shall propose to him. I promise."

Two days passed before Ashton and Serenade decided to head home, but not before Serenade passed her decision on to her mother. Zandria was very eager to put her new cooking skills to the test. As the sun began to sink lower in the sky, the group had just passed Green Mile and was only minutes away from the Ketchum estate.

"Home sweet home. Can't wait to take a bath." Ashton groaned as he stretched. Suddenly, Laika stopped. "Hm? What's wrong this time?" Her ears went flat against her head as she growled, "I smell…blood!" Fear flashed through Ashton's mind at what this could mean. Wasting no time, he focused chakra into his feet and took off down the road at very high speed! But when he got to the manor, he froze in his tracks. "No…NO!"

The entire courtyard was a mess. The bush sculptures were ravaged and burned while the gate had been twisted by a strong impact. Fortunately, the manor itself was untouched. However, the door was wide open, and lying in the doorway was a bloodied and beaten Chiara.

"Chiara!" Ashton ran over to the midget Lugia and held her head. "No, please! Don't die on me!" Soon, she opened her eyes and whispered, "I'm so sorry…..I couldn't stop them….." Ashton asked, "Who? Who did this to you?" Chiara continued, "They…they took her…they took Ruby… The Black Wing…at the Demon's Cape….." With that, Chiara passed out, her left wing broken.

A moment passed before the six other servants arrived. "NOOO! MY GARDEN!" Cassandra screamed in grief at the sight of her ruined sculptures. Aurora then noticed Chiara lying in the doorway. "No, Chiara!" The Suicune sprinted over to her friend and saw Ashton looking utterly horrified and furious. "Lord Ashton…is she…?" He replied, "She's just unconscious."

Standing up, Ashton called, "Laura! Serenade!" The two ladies approached him carefully, afraid that he would go berserk at any time. "Serenade. Chiara's left wing is broken. Please see to her aid." Without a word, Serenade levitated Chiara down the hall to the bathroom to perform the necessary surgery. "Laura, fetch my armor." This frightened the Latias more than anything. "But for you to request your armor…" Ashton nodded, "Yes. I must prepare for battle. And I can't afford to take chances here."

As Laura made her way to the armory of the manor, Ashton proceeded to his room. "This will be the last time the Black Wing inflicts harm on my family. Tonight, the name of 'Black Wing' dies!"


	9. A Fallen Hero

An unsettling mood had descended upon the Ketchum estate. Ashton and his six servants had returned home to find the courtyard ravaged and Chiara gravely wounded. Worse, her attackers, the Black Wing, had abducted Ruby. Ashton, enraged that the most wanted criminals in the kingdom had captured his youngest servant, was preparing for battle.

"Lord Ashton, why? Why would they kidnap Ruby?" Laura asked as she watched him slide his feet into long leg armor. "She is young and charming. They knew I would rescue her if something happened. Whoever did this knows me well." He then proceeded to slide on his chest armor. "But…but there might be an ambush! You can't take on an entire army by yourself!" By now, Ashton had finished sliding on his long metal gloves and shoulder pads. He was now protected by a suit of light blue armor. "It doesn't matter. I will save her."

Ashton placed the Flamberge on his back and turned to Laura. "What is wrong? Do you not have faith in me?" He saw that Laura was trying hard not to cry. The expression she was wearing was entirely out of her character. "Laura, I will come back alive. You have my word." Taking his word for it, the Latias wiped away the tears that had formed at her eyelids. "You have never broken a promise to us. I know you'll return alive." Ashton gave her a reassuring stroke of her neck and proceeded down the hall towards Chiara's bedroom.

"Serenade, may I enter?" The Gardevoir replied, "Yes, and Chiara is conscious." Ashton opened the door and smiled to see Chiara as good as new, her left wing completely healed. "Your nursing skills are centuries ahead of our time. To think that you could restore Chiara in only an hour." Chiara raised her head, still weak from loss of blood. Ashton took a seat next to her bed and gripped her right hand. "My lord…forgive me… I shouldn't have failed…"

Ashton shook his head, "Chiara, I am grateful just for you still being alive. If you had managed to slay the foes that captured Ruby, I'm sure that you would not have survived." The Lugia looked away, still feeling ashamed that a creature of legend like her could not defeat a swarm of villains. "Chiara, where did they go?" Without even looking at him, she replied, "The Demon's Cape."

Ashton groaned, "All the way out there? Wonderful. That's miles to the northeast." As he stood up, Chiara pleaded, "No! Of all places, that is one where you must not travel! Urgh!" Chiara gagged as blood spurted from her mouth. Serenade held her down, "No, you must save your strength. Even though your wing is restored, you still have some internal damage that has not yet healed. Besides, what's so terrifying about this Demon's Cape?" Chiara caught her breath, beckoning Ashton to stay with her eyes. Nodding, he took a seat and said, "Yes, please do tell."

Chiara spoke, "The Demon's Cape is an L-shaped peninsula just to the north of the city of Celestica. It's named that for its close proximity to Mt. Moon in the west. However, the Demon's Cape is outside the kingdom's territory, so it's generally unsafe to go there." Ashton shrugged his shoulders, "It's a peninsula. There's only one way to get there. There's no chance of me encountering any invading soldiers or barbaric tribes." Chiara spoke up, "That's not the point! Oop….one moment." She took a few breaths to calm herself down. Serenade gave her a pat on the shoulder, "Good. Don't raise your voice."

Ashton asked, "So what's the biggest threat over there?" Chiara closed her eyes and spoke, "I never saw it myself. Just the debris it left behind and the survivors. I was flying over the Demon's Cape when I saw it. There were several shipwrecks littering the shallows. But they did not appear to have been run aground. It was as if something very powerful had ravaged them until it felt that enough had been done. Curious, I flew south to Celestica to eavesdrop on the locals. I happened to notice a mass of wounded sailors being carried to an inn. While I stayed out of view, I overheard one talking. He seemed delusional, but he kept going on and on about a massive creature that rose high above the ship before it tore it asunder. This was just a few weeks after you brought me into your home."

Ashton nodded, "Yeah, now I remember. The queen issued a decree of warning to stay away from that area. Even the bravest seamen won't go near the shoreline. It's no wonder no one wants to claim that land for themselves. But then again, that's what makes it ideal for villains to hide from the law." Chiara nodded, "Precisely. I advise you enlist the aid of the Knighthood of Rohta. You will need them." Ashton stood up, "There's no time. If I seek aid, they may very well execute Ruby. I must do this with minimal assistance." Serenade asked, "But from who?" He then gave them a reassuring smile, "Don't worry. I'll be back by morning at the latest." With that, he proceeded down the hall to Aurora's room.

"Aurora, I must speak to you. May I enter?" A voice replied, "Yes. Please come in." Ashton nudged the door open to find Aurora staring out the window at the setting sun. When she looked at Ashton, her eyes were filled with dread. "Please, don't look so glum. I'm going to bring her back. And I need your help."

Aurora gasped, "Me? What can I do?" Ashton chuckled, "Normally, I would ask Chiara for this, but you will have to do since she can't fly at the moment." The Suicune nodded, "I see. So you need me to take you somewhere." Ashton spoke, "Yes. Ruby is being held captive at the Demon's Cape just north of Celestica. The sooner we get there, the better. And I know that you can run faster than the wind. So, will you help me?" Aurora let out a giggle and bowed, "Anything for you, my lord."

Once they were at the gate, Aurora kneeled for Ashton to climb on. "I'm a bit heavier with this armor, but I'm sure you can handle it." Once he was seated, Ashton asked, "So, should I drop some luggage?" As she rose to a standing position, Aurora laughed, "Please! Do I really seem that frail to you?" Ashton smiled, "I guess that's a NO. Now, let's go! Ruby may already be dead!" Aurora replied, "At once, my lord!" In a flash, the Suicune burst through the forest surrounding the estate and through the town of Green Mile.

After a few moments, Aurora was dashing across the plains to the northeast, making sure to not have to climb over Mt. Moon. It was at that time Aurora asked, "Lord Ashton, may I ask you something?" The viscount replied, "Of course! What's on your mind?" She then proceeded, "Well, do you know the identity of the Black Wing's leader?" Ashton shook his head, "Can't say I do. They've been careful to cover their tracks that might lead to that discovery. However….." Aurora asked, "What? Is there something else?" Ashton sighed, "There are rumors. Most claim that the leader is the former captain of the kingdom's Dragon Masters Unit. Of course, even though he disappeared without a trace, I know that's not possible." Aurora asked, "What makes you so sure that he wouldn't be the leader?" Ashton frowned, "Because he was not a man who would turn against his kingdom to lead a group of criminals." The Suicune then asked, "And how can you be so certain?" Ashton then sighed, "Because…..he was my mentor. Captain Lance was the man who taught me how to fight while riding Chiara." Aurora was surprised and asked, "You knew him?" Ashton sighed, "Yes. And he was the only human I knew who respected Pokemon on the level I do…."

"Prone. Step. Thrust. Prone. Step. Thrust." Ashton kept chanting as he practiced his lance skills. "Mother and Father will be so proud to hear that I've come so far." A familiar voice spoke from behind him, "I'm sure they would. You're the only ten year old who chose the lance as his weapon." Ashton turned and faced the owner of the voice. "Captain Lance! How are you today?" The captain of the Dragon Masters Unit smiled at his youngest apprentice. His long orange hair stood straight up in a spiky style as his trademark black cape fluttered in the breeze. Wrapped around his upper body was his dearest friend. A Dratini named Dimitri.

"You've come far with the basics. You seem to be a natural with the lance." Lance chuckled as he rubbed Ashton's hair like an older brother would. Just then, Dimitri slithered down Lance's armed and wrapped himself around Ashton's upper body. "Oh, hi Dimitri! Were you jealous?" Ashton laughed as he cuddled the little dragon lovingly, prompting a coo of delight from him. "You should feel honored. Dimitri only allows humans who see Pokemon as true equals to lay their hands on him. So he must think you see Pokemon as more than just equals to wrap himself around you like this." Ashton smiled at his teacher's kind words. "Yeah! Mother and Father are Pokemon, so why should I think less of them?"

As the three of them headed towards the mess hall, Lance asked the boy at his side, "So, Ashton, I'm only curious, but why did you want to become a knight?" The boy smiled while still embracing Dimitri, "Because I want to protect people! And not just humans. I want to protect everyone! Especially Pokemon! Everyone else is so mean to them. That's why I want to fight for them." This prompted a very surprised look from Lance. "Ashton, I never thought I would meet someone with the same kind of respect for Pokemon that I have. It is I who should be honored to have you as a student." Ashton blushed, "I'm still just a kid. I just want to protect those I like." Lance smirked, "Is that so? Ashton, meet me at the watchtower once the stars are visible. Make sure you are alone." Ashton nodded, "OK, but let's get some lunch first."

That night, Ashton climbed the spiral staircase that led to the top of the watchtower at the academy. He was quite sleepy as it was already late. "What could Captain Lance want at this hour?" Ashton mumbled with a yawn. He followed the trail of torches that lined the walls blindly to the top. Once he reached the end of the stairs, a voice greeted him. "Good evening, Ashton. Lovely night, is it not?"

Ashton looked around and saw Lance leaning against the parapet. "Oh. Good evening, Captain." Ashton said with a yawn. "Come. Have a seat. I wish to speak to you." Lance motioned for Ashton to approach him, which he did. He then lifted Ashton to help him look over the parapet. "Do you see it? Our home of Rohta?" Ashton groggily nodded, "Uh huh." Lance continued, "But it's not just our home. It is the home of all the Pokemon that reside in it as well."

Ashton seemed about ready to conk out as he leaned forward against the parapet. Lance added, "You know, Pokemon and humans really aren't all that different. We're more alike than you think." For some reason, Ashton snapped wide awake when he heard this. "Really? How?" Lance smiled, his face gently illuminated by a nearby torch, "You said it yourself today. Humans and Pokemon are people."

Ashton was a bit baffled at this, but Lance spoke, "Think about it. You, more than anyone, should know that Pokemon are people too. Your parents are prime examples. They can think and communicate with others. They, like humans, have souls. Even though most Pokemon live in more primitive fashion than we do, they are still people. They all have souls." Ashton was deeply moved by this and surprised Lance by giving him a hug. "You're a good guy, Captain Lance."

Lance gently set his apprentice down and patted his head. "Never forget what I told you tonight. Now, off to bed. It's already late." Lance then headed down the staircase with Ashton behind him. But just as they passed the stables, where the dragons slept, Ashton stopped. "Um, Captain Lance? I need to use the…um…" The captain chuckled, "OK. You know where it is. But get to bed once you're done. Good night." He then proceeded down the corridor towards his quarters. But Ashton had a sneaky smirk on his face. Looking back and forth to make sure there was no one coming, he slipped inside the stables.

Ashton walked in between the stables and started peeking inside them. There were Flygon, Charizard, Dragonite, Altaria, and a Latios. They were all sleeping on a bed of wool. However, each of the Charizard were resting their tail-flames on a stone nearby to avoid igniting their own beds. But Ashton soon came to the stable he was looking for. Peeking over the wooden door, he saw his special favorite. The only Salamence present in the Dragon Masters Unit.

"Psssstttt. Serra. Are you awake?" Ashton whispered, the faint light from only a pair of torches illuminating the room. The sleeping dragon stirred as Ashton called out to her. "Serra. It's me. Ashton." It was at the mention of his name that she awoke. The Salamence looked around and saw Ashton's face peering over the gate. "May I come in?" Serra gave the boy a very inviting gaze and nodded. "OK. Just a second." Ashton quietly raised the latch and closed the gate behind him. "It's so warm in here. You dragons are so warm."

Ashton knelt down next to Serra and ran his hands over her right wing. "Your wing is healing nicely. I can't wait to be your knight!" Serra grinned as she remembered the day. The squire that had been assigned to her had unintentionally flown her into a wall while trying to make her fly straight, resulting in a broken wing. She was an extremely hot-blooded girl and would have nothing to do with any of the Dragon Masters, even Lance. But she had a soft spot for Ashton, and surprised everyone when they found Ashton sleeping with her on the night she broke her wing.

"The bandages are still so clean. Are you trying to not get them dirty?" Ashton looked over at Serra, but smiled to see her giving a very sweet grin at him. "You're always so pretty. I promise to take great care of you when I graduate." Ashton spoke while resting his head against Serra's neck. "I love you, Serra." The dragon draped her friend with her left wing, the one that was not injured, and nuzzled him lovingly. "Everyone says you're scary, but I think you're really pretty and sweet." Ashton sighed as he embraced Serra's face, causing her to blush a deep red.

"Wait, aren't you cold? I hear you dragons don't fare too well in the cold. Wait a moment." Ashton reached over Serra's back and pulled a layer of wool over the both of them. "There we go. That's much better. Don't you feel warmer now, Serra?" The Salamence thanked him in a most sincere fashion. She joined lips with him and gave Ashton his very first kiss. It was nothing special, but Ashton was a bit surprised. "Wow….. I don't think I've ever kissed a girl before. Wait! Do you want me to marry you?" Ashton was still too innocent to fully grasp the concept of marriage, but Serra understood and nodded. "OK! We can get married when I graduate! But right now…" Ashton let out a yawn and snuggled up against Serra's neck. "Let's go to sleep. Good night, Serra." The little squire drifted off to sleep as Serra watched over him like a mother would. Once she was certain that he was asleep, the Salamence lowered her head next to his and fell asleep as well.

Over the course of a week, Ashton diligently sharpened his lance skills. And every night, he would sneak into the stables to sleep with his beloved Serra, who was always delighted to see him. And every time someone found them and tried to drag Ashton back to his quarters, Serra would growl fiercely to drive them away, refusing to give up the only human she had ever loved. But one night, some barbaric ruffians invaded the academy, hell-bent on killing any 'Beasts' they came across.

"Whoa, sounds like we've got some company, lads! Leave them be and let's move on!" The lookout shouted inside the stables. The whole mess of savages, about a dozen, shuffled out and ran down the corridor, unaware that it was leading to a dead-end. A moment later, Lance and Ashton came running down the hall. "Captain Lance! The dragons….." Ashton whimpered, knowing that Serra was in no shape to fly. There was a chute in the ceiling that led out into the courtyard that the dragons could use if the stable doors were blocked. However, both Lance and Ashton knew that Serra could not fly. Placing a hand on his student's shoulder, Lance stepped inside.

"Serra…are you there?" Ashton called, holding back tears. They slowly approached the back of the stable, where she preferred to dwell. Fearing the worst, Ashton peered around the corner over the smashed gate. His face went white with horror as his gaze settled on the Salamence. "SERRA!" Ashton ran to his friend's side, weeping as he held her head. The intruders had smashed her wings and sliced her all over her body, leaving many cuts in her scales. But miraculously, she was alive.

"No…no… Serra! Don't die!" Ashton sobbed into her side, trying to stop the bleeding with his hands. Lance was just standing there, mortified by the harm done to his student's closest friend. He began to clutch the handle of his Ahlspiess tightly as anger and disgust built up inside him. He stepped forward and spoke, "Ashton, Serra will be fine. Her wounds are bad, but she will live."

Ashton managed to stop crying and looked up at his teacher. "Ashton, I have a favor to ask. Come. And don't worry about Serra." He then headed down to the corridor with Ashton in tow. He then stood beyond the doorway a little ways down the hall. "I want you to lock this door behind me. This corridor leads to a dead-end and those intruders have not yet noticed." Ashton was shocked that his teacher wanted him to lock him in with a mass of murderous thugs and asked, "But what are you going to do?" Lance coldly replied, "I'm going to slaughter them. I will not allow them to escape here alive. Now seal the door. I won't be long." He then turned and walked down the dimly lit corridor. Ashton, with some reluctance, closed the door and dropped the wooden board across it, making it impossible to open it from the other side.

"Why….. Why do they do this? What did Serra ever do to deserve this?" Ashton sobbed as he sat down next to the wounded Salamence. She was still unconscious and did not respond to his touch. "Please don't die… I love you. Don't leave me…" Ashton whispered, hoping that they would be the magic words and that she would awaken. After ten minutes, Ashton heard banging on the wooden door. "Ashton, are you there?" Lance called out. "That was fast! Hold on!" Ashton ran out of the stables and lifted the latch.

As the door swung open, Ashton asked, "Are you hurt? Were they tough? Did they…they….." Ashton stood aghast at the bloodied form of Lance. The blade of his Ahlspiess spear was covered in blood up to the guard. Lance's body was covered here and there with splashes of blood, none of which were his own. His eyes almost seemed lifeless, like those of a corpse. "No. They did not harm me. This blood you see is all theirs'. I am unharmed." He then walked past Ashton and stopped. "Stay with Serra. I'm going to get some potions and bandages."

During Serra's recovery, Ashton stayed by her side. He made sure she was well fed and bordered on obsessive with her wellbeing. But the damage was done. The bones in both wings had been smashed and were no longer capable of carrying her in flight, even after healing as much as possible. Serra did not mind being unable to fly, as it was this trait that made her a target of the Dragon Masters in the first place, but was heartbroken to know that she was no longer able to be Ashton's trusted partner. After a brief time, Lance got word from the king and queen themselves that they wished to take Serra in. Ashton bid a tearful goodbye to his friend at the castle gates, vowing that they would meet again someday.

Things were never the same at the academy after the attack. Lance was always eerily silent and his eyes would cast a hateful glare at any human that passed him, except Ashton. He was always kind and doting to his young apprentice at all times, and only Ashton could make his eyes seem alive. But Ashton would never be able to graduate until he had a Dragon Pokemon to ride. He trained for that day for the next three years. But three days after an intense ocean storm, Lance was sharpening his blade in the courtyard.

"Ah! Good day, Captain Lance!" Lance turned and smiled at his beloved apprentice, "Top of the morning to yooaaa…..ah…uh…" Lance's mouth just hung open as he stared at Ashton's guest. "What's wrong? I thought you were charming with the ladies." Ashton joked. Lance shook his head a few times and said, "Sorry. It's just that I've never seen a Lugia before. Especially one as small as this one." The Lugia bowed and spoke, "A pleasure to meet you, Captain Lance. My name is Chiara."

Lance was further surprised by the fact that Chiara could speak, but shook it off and spoke, "Ah, yes. So, why are you here?" Ashton replied, "Chiara has volunteered to be my dragon mount. She's not a true dragon, but I'm sure we can overlook this minor technicality. So, what do you say?" Lance began to circle the midget Lugia. "Hmmm. Well, I have to say that she's just the right size. All that remains is to see if you two can function as a team. Ready?" Ashton jumped, "YES YES YESSS! Come, Chiara! Let's fly!" The Lugia giggled and laid herself low to the ground. Ashton then sat down at the base of her neck with spear in hand. "Let's begin."

Lance proceeded to set up several training dummies made of straw. "Now, take to the air!" Lance commanded. With just a few flaps of her wings, Chiara became airborne and used psychic force to levitate higher. Lance brought his hands to his mouth and shouted, "Now, the key to fighting on dragon back is to get close enough to your opponent to attack, as well as quickly getting away to avoid any attacks from its allies! Try performing a swooping attack on one of those dummies!" Ashton nodded and pointed at a dummy. Nodding, Chiara folded her wings in and took a nose dive. But just before she hit the ground, she pulled up and flew just over the ground. As they were about to pass a dummy, Ashton skewered it on his spear using Chiara's speed. Once they were high above the courtyard again, Ashton called, "How's that? Did we pass?" Lance shouted back, "Very good! Now finish with the others!"

Ashton and Chiara swooped again and again to pierce the training dummies with increasingly stylish attacks. With the last one, Ashton actually threw his spear at the dummy, scoring a direct hit. When they landed, Lance applauded, "Bravo! Such talent! You truly are a prodigy!" Ashton hopped off Chiara and retrieved his spear. "Please, Captain, you're too kind. I would never have made it this far without your guidance."

"Ashton, there is but one thing left for me to say to you." Lance walked over to his apprentice with his Ahlspiess in hand. "Kneel before me. I won't hurt you." Taking his word for it, Ashton kneeled before his teacher. "Ashton Ketchum of the Dragon Masters of Rohta….." Lance then turned the blade of his spear sideways and rested it on Ashton's shoulder. "I hereby knight thee as a Master of Dragons. May you serve your kingdom with honor. Now rise, and go forth." Ashton slowly rose to his feet, tears building in his eyes.

"C-Captain…I…" Ashton choked, his face overcome with joy and sadness. Lance placed a hand on his shoulder, "You have the potential to surpass me in every way. There is nothing left for me to teach you. Walk your own path, a path that defends Pokemon from the injustices of this world." With that, Lance turned to leave. But just before that, he turned and looked at Ashton over his shoulder. "Ashton, never forget that Pokemon are the same as us. Become a better man than I could ever be."

(Those were the last words he ever said to me….. Right before he and Dimitri vanished…) Ashton thought to himself as he and Aurora dashed through the town of Celestica. In the moonlight, the town glistened with mist. The abundance of water was so great; the townsfolk had used it for art, various fountains spouting water all over town. It was very late now and no one was aware that a Suicune was sprinting through their streets. It took less than two minutes for the Suicune to clear the town and reach the outskirts of the Demon's Cape.

"Lord Ashton…I believe that we have reached the Demon's Cape." Aurora said as she ran through a horribly overgrown forest. "Yes, I can see that. This untamed vegetation is definitely a sign of a lack of civilization. We must be getting close. And we've made excellent time." A moment later, Ashton grunted, "Tch. It would seem that Laura's assumption was correct." Aurora asked, "What do you mean? What did she say?" Ashton steadied himself and climbed to a standing position. "You'll see once we clear this forest."

After a moment more, Aurora breached the forest border, running through very tall grass on the open plains. When she looked up, she saw many outlines of various Dragon Pokemon. "An ambush! They were ready for us!" The commanding officer shouted from the back of his Salamence, "Sir Ashton! If you wish to reach the Commander, you will have to get through us first!" The Vulcan Warrior grabbed the hilt of the Flamberge and replied, "Go away! If you try to stop us, I will have to destroy you!" The leader replied, "Let's see if there's iron in your words! Legions of the Black Wing! ATTACK!"

All the knights began to descend all at once like a swarm of killer bees. "Lord Ashton, what should I do?" Aurora pleaded without slowing down. "Just keep running! Don't stop for anything!" He then turned the Flamberge broadside. "I really don't have time for these idiots. Ninja Art: Wind Scythe Jutsu!" With a wide swing of his sword, Ashton sent a howling storm of blades at the pursuing rogues. The sound of slashing could be heard in the midst of the cyclone. But when it died down, they were still flying after them!

"Were they able to dodge it?" Ashton looked around quickly for a possible answer as the rogue knights closed the distance between them. "I could use fire, but the Pokemon would get hurt…GAH! What can I do?" Just then, Ashton noticed that Aurora was running along the shoreline of the peninsula the entire time. "Perhaps a water element…..ah! Why not?" Placing the Flamberge on his back, Ashton began to make a series of hand signs. Just as the swarm of dragons was about to reach him, Ashton shouted, "Water Style: Tidal Surge!" With those words, a massive wall of water rose from the ocean! "Yes! Thank you, Master Koga!" The wall of water then collapsed onto the swarm of dragons, slamming them into the ground and keeping them submerged for a moment before the water receded back into the ocean. "They should be out for a while after that. Wait…..what's that?" Ashton pointed out something in the far distance that seemed to have a flame at the top.

"Aurora, stop right nooooOOOOOWWWWWWWW!" Ashton screamed as Aurora came to a screeching halt, sending Ashton flying off her back and into a bramble patch! "GAAAAAHHHHH! WHY THIS?" Ashton shouted as the brambles dug into his face. "Oh my god! Lord Ashton, are you well? I'm so sorry!" Aurora ran over to the bramble patch, but she took a step back as an orange glow shone forth from the patch! "RAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Ashton roared as flames erupted from him, incinerating the brambles!

"Lord Ashton…are you angry with me?" Aurora whimpered as the viscount stomped out of the smoldering bushes. "No. It was my mistake to stand up while you were moving at such a high speed. But that's beside the point. Look over there." Ashton pointed to the east. Aurora immediately noticed the flame flicking at the top of what seemed to be a tower of sorts.

"Is that…..a lighthouse?" Ashton nodded, "Most likely. They warn ships to stay away from the area they are built on, although most hazards are rocky outcrops just under the surface. In this case, it warns against a sea monster that is said to nest near the shoreline." Aurora became blue in the face, "A SEA MONSTER? You can't be serious!" Ashton laughed, "Oh come now! That sea monster is said to only attack passing ships! We'll be fine as long as we stay on the land. Now let's go. Ruby is likely being held at that lighthouse." With a nod, Aurora kneeled again for Ashton to board her. In another flash, she took off running for the Black Wing headquarters.

"Aurora, stop. But slow down gradually this time." Ashton spoke as the lighthouse began to loom overhead. Aurora began to slow into a run, then a trot, and finally a walk before coming to a stop. "It does have an eerie presence, my lord." The lighthouse was more than just a tower. It was built into what seemed to be a fortress of sorts, most likely used by pirates in the distant past.

"Well, shall we be going?" Aurora said as she approached the front door, which was almost falling off its hinges. However, Ashton grabbed her mane. "No. I want you to wait here. I have a hunch that I will need you to stay out here." Aurora protested, "But why? You know I am more than capable of defending myself!" Ashton nodded, "True, but trust me on this one. Keep an eye on the roof. Something tells me that I'll need you to snatch something from it. OK?" Reluctantly, Aurora nodded. "Just please bring Ruby back alive." Ashton gave her a smile, just before disappearing into the darkness of the hideout.

"What total slobs….. A little light please!" Ashton grumbled as he fumbled around in the dark. Finally, he grabbed something that was long and stiff. "Please be a torch…" His hand was suddenly engulfed in flames, igniting what was indeed a torch in his hand. "Talk about a lucky break!" Ashton looked around at the hideout, almost surprised to find it deserted. "Guess I'll just have to go up." Ashton made his way to a spiral staircase that seemed to be inside the lighthouse itself.

About halfway up, Ashton came to the second floor of the fortress. Inside were stables of sorts, most likely for the dragons. "Yes. This is surely the den of the Black Wing." He then proceeded up the stairs again, until he finally reached the top. When he stepped out, he was on the very roof of the fortress, the moon illuminating the area.

"Hmmm….. This is the only place left to look." Just then, a familiar voice cried out, "Lord Ashton! Help me, please!" Ashton looked ahead and could see a familiar form hanging from a rope that was overlooking the ocean, which was attached to a wooden pole that was reaching out from the roof. "RUBY! Be patient, I'll get you down!" But another voice called out, "Yes, in due time. But not just yet." Ashton only then noticed the figure standing in the shadow of a parapet on the far side of the roof.

"I take it you're the leader of the Black Wing?" Ashton growled as his left hand reached for the Flamberge's hilt. The figure replied, "I am. And I am thoroughly impressed with how you disposed of the Night Hawk. The most feared assassin in the kingdom fell by your hand without much of a fight. Most impressive." The figure then began to step forward from the shadows.

"It has been quite some time since we last met. I most certainly hope Chiara wasn't hurt all that much." Ashton suddenly could make out the form of the leader, his long spiky orange air blowing in the night breeze. His black cape fluttering behind him. "No…no, you can't be! You of all people would never found a criminal organization!"

The leader, clothed in black armor, hoisted his Ahlspiess spear to his shoulder. "You truly have grown into a fine knight, my apprentice. You have become more of a legend than I ever was. But now, you must make a decision. Will you join me? Or will you disappear forever, along with the Kingdom of Rohta?" Ashton stood aghast for a moment, refusing to believe what he was seeing. "Captain Lance….. Why…?"


	10. Master vs Pupil

"This just doesn't add up….. No! I refuse to believe this!" Ashton yelled as he stood on the roof of the Black Wing's stronghold. Standing before him was the former captain of the kingdom of Rohta's Dragon Masters Unit, and Ashton's teacher. Ruby dangled over the ocean, frightened and sick with worry for her young master.

"This just can't be! Captain Lance would never betray his kingdom!" Ashton began to slap himself across the face in the hopes that this hallucination would release him. "This isn't real. This isn't real. This isn't…" He stopped when he felt something grab his arm. "That is quite enough, Ashton." Standing before him was indeed Lance. "You should know better than anyone that I am the leader of the Black Wing."

By now Ashton was to the brink of tears. "No…..why would you? Why would you betray us?" Ashton sobbed as he dropped to his knees. But Lance kneeled down and placed a hand on Ashton's shoulder. "Come now, you are still my pupil. There is no reason for you to be so upset." Ashton gazed up into the eyes of the man who had trained him. Lance was still smiling, much like he used to. "But…..why?" Ashton asked. Lance calmly replied, "Because this kingdom needs to be shown the truth."

Lance stood up and took a few steps back. "As I'm sure you are aware of, the members of the Black Wing treat their dragon mounts as equals. They eat at the same table and support each other in combat, much like you have with Chiara. We are not monsters. We simply wish to show the people of this kingdom that Pokemon are the same as us." With that, Lance glanced upwards at the top of the lighthouse above them. "Ah, I was wondering when he would be back. Come on down! There's an old friend here to see you!"

Ashton stood up and looked skyward. He saw what seemed to be a long and slender body with a pair of wings at one end coming down at him. "No way….. Is that…?" Ashton had no more time to speak as the form swooped down and entangled his body, being very careful to not cut itself on the zweihander resting on Ashton's back. Once he had calmed down a bit, Ashton looked to his left and saw a pair of beautiful black eyes glittering in the moonlight. "Dimitri? You…evolved?"

Lance let out a chuckle, "Dimitri was very much against me defecting from the Dragon Masters Unit. He wanted to see you again so much, I had to hold him back on a few occasions." Ashton blushed slightly as the Dragonair coiled around him tightly, cooing softly as he nuzzled his old friend's face. As he stroked the serpent's body, Ashton whispered, "You've gone from adorable to majestic. I missed you greatly, old friend." Just then, Ruby screamed, "Lord Ashton! Have you forgotten about me?"

Ashton looked back over the parapet to see Ruby still dangling over the ocean below. "Oops….. Yes. Captain Lance! Please release her! It is rude to take women hostage." Lance's tone of voice became much more serious as he spoke, "I cannot release her just yet. Before I do so, you must make a decision. Will you join us?" Ashton became silent as he heard the change in his mentor's voice. "Why do you need me, of all people?" Lance proceeded, "Because you have witnessed the atrocities inflicted on Pokemon firsthand. You have the same hatred that I do."

Ashton gulped, fearing what his master was about to say. "Before I decide, please tell me. Just what is the Black Wing trying to attain? And what are the steps to reaching that goal?" Lance nodded, "Yes, you have every right to know." He then began to pace back and forth with his spear behind his back. "It was the night that those barbarians crippled your beloved Serra. I had never felt such rage at my own kind. If I had not killed them myself, they would never have received justice. The queen knows of everything that happens everyday in the kingdom to the Pokemon that reside in it, yet she does nothing. The humans care nothing for them when they are all the same. I will purge this kingdom of these wretched savages and rebuild it from the ground up as a utopia where humans and Pokemon live as equals!"

Ashton shuddered as he whispered, "Genocide." Lance then brought his spear to his right hand and spoke, "The only reason why I remained at the academy after that fateful night was to train you. You were like the little brother I never had, Ashton. I wanted you to be a warrior that fought for Pokemon, not for the wretched monsters that enslave them. Now, what will it be? Will you join me in creating the perfect kingdom? Or will you vanish with this hellhole of a nation?"

Ashton was finding it hard to believe that his own teacher had become a terrorist blinded by hatred. "Captain…will all humans be massacred? Every last one?" Lance shook his head, "Not all of them. You, as well as the members of the Black Wing, will be spared." Ashton then shouted, "But what about the Kingdom of Clavice? They will not take kindly to the genocide of the people of Rohta! They have one of the finest military forces we know of! A single criminal organization can't possibly hold its own against them!"

Lance just stood there for a moment, and then began to laugh. "True. We would stand no chance against them. But I have a secret weapon at my disposal. One that is capable of reducing this entire kingdom to a burning wasteland!" Ashton gave his master a very skeptical stare. "Um…sure. And just what would that weapon be?" Lance shook his head, "I will only disclose that to the members of the Black Wing. So will you join us?"

Ashton closed his eyes as Dimitri steadily tightened his grip around his body. "Captain….." Ashton then yelled out, "Nothing good will come of this! Genocide only brings hate and ruin! No one will be happy if you follow through with this!" Lance sighed with displeasure and asked, "I was certain that you would understand. I did not wish to see you die, but if that's how it is….." He then called out, "Dimitri! Dispose of this obstacle!"

Before Ashton could react, Dimitri constricted Ashton's body to the point that he could not move. "Lord Ashton! Don't let them do that to you!" Ruby screamed as she tried to loosen the knot binding her hands. As Ashton struggled to avoid falling over, Dimitri brought his face in front of Ashton's and began to gather volatile orange energy into his mouth. "No….. Dimitri, you're not really going to…"

"You had your chance, but now we must part ways. Do it, Dimitri!" Lance commanded. Unable to free himself, Ashton could only stare into the gaping maw of his old friend as he gathered his strength for a Hyper Beam to blast his head off. "Dimitri….. Do you really hate me so?"

Ashton finally fell backwards, knocking the wind out of him. With tears in his eyes, he whispered, "So it was all a lie. You always wanted to kill me….." Just then, Ruby cried, "Lord Ashton, I know you can get out of that hold easily! Just remember what you did with me and Laika in the Black Woods!" Ashton remembered having heated his body to a degree where it was too hot for the two ladies to withstand. However, he sighed, "No….. I will not harm a friend as dear as you, Dimitri."

Having heard this, Dimitri began to fidget. Surprised, Ashton looked up into the Dragonair's eyes and was stunned to see confusion and pain in them. "Dimitri, are you questioning yourself?" Ashton was further surprised to see the dragon crying. "You don't want to disappoint your dearest friend, but you don't want to have to hurt another friend in the process." The glowing orb of energy in Dimitri's mouth began to dissipate as he quivered in both shame and uncertainty. "Captain Lance is not the man we once knew. He has become obsessed with committing genocide on the humans of the kingdom. And if he is so willing to throw away someone he sees as a brother, then how long will it take for him to throw away his closest…..NO!" Ashton barely rolled sideways to avoid a stab from Lance's spear. "Don't let him deceive you, Dimitri! Finish him!"

Dimitri stared up at his dearest friend, mortified that Lance had attempted to skewer Ashton while he was still coiled around him. "That thrust….. You intended to kill us both!" Lance hoisted his spear to his shoulder, "He shouldn't have hesitated. When I give an order, he should follow it without objection. Now, END HIM!" Dimitri looked back at Ashton, pondering what he should do. It took a moment, but the Dragonair uncoiled himself and wrapped himself around Ashton's upper body, but in a fashion that allowed for full freedom of movement.

"So, you betray me as well, Dimitri?" Lance growled as he brought his spear into both hands. The Dragonair growled angrily as Ashton shook his head, "You're even less of a man than before. You claim to want to found the perfect kingdom, where humans and Pokemon coexist as true equals, but you really intend to enslave them as your pawns. You say that Pokemon are equals, but how can that be true when you kill anyone that thinks for themselves? If Pokemon are just like us, then why do you kill them for questioning their own actions?" Lance very coldly replied, "It's quite simple, really. If you're not with me, then you're against me."

Ashton stroked the head of Dimitri and whispered, "There is a Suicune standing at the entrance to the fortress. Fly down there and wait with her for me. I'll be along shortly. I promise." The Dragonair shook his head and nuzzled tightly against Ashton's face while sobbing. "No, you must leave this place. You will only get in the way, and I do not wish to lose you. Dimitri, look at me!" The Dragonair looked up at him with fearful eyes. "Calm yourself. I don't fight opponents I have no hope of besting. I will survive this duel. My one request is that you wait in safety outside. Please."

The Dragonair seemed to calm down slightly, but just then he glanced over towards Ruby's location. With a whisper, Ashton spoke, "Thank you. I'll owe you one if this works." Just then Lance, fresh out of patience, tapped the floor with his spear handle, "Anytime now! Let's do this while we're still young!" With a smirk, Ashton reached for the hilt of the Flamberge and shouted, "Gladly! Follow after me, Dimitri!" The Dragonair spread the wings on his head wide and floated above Ashton. "Have at you, Captain!"

With the Flamberge in his right hand, Ashton made a leaping chop at his former mentor. "Oh please. My weapon is not so fragile!" To block the attack, Lance held his weapon sideways, but groaned in discomfort caused by the tremors of the impact. "Did you like that? The undulating blade design of the Flamberge sends some nasty vibrations through the weapon it happens to strike, spreading down into the wielder himself. Dimitri, it's your turn!" The Dragonair let out a shrill cry as he swooped overhead with a Hyper Beam in his mouth.

"Tch, this is bad!" Lance grumbled as he tried to break free from the Flamberge's weight bearing down on him. But just when it seemed that Dimitri was about to blast Lance, he flew past him towards the sea! "What the…..HEY!" Lance realized all too late where Dimitri was flying to. As he unleashed the Hyper Beam, Ruby screamed, "No, STOP!" However, the beam sliced right through the rope instead! Dimitri then caught the rest of the rope that was still holding Ruby's hands in his teeth and swooped out of sight towards the ground. "Yes! Thank you, old friend!"

"You forgot the most basic rule of battle. How sad." Lance performed a backwards somersault with his feet planted against Ashton's abdomen and tossed the unsuspecting knight a good distance. As Ashton climbed to his feet, Lance made a sudden wide slash, just narrowly missing Ashton's face. As he took a good look at his foe, Ashton noticed something about the Ahlspiess spear. Roughly half of the weapon consisted of the blade itself. What was even stranger was that the spearhead was more like the blade of a sword. It could be used to cut as well as to impale. "Now I see why you specialize in that weapon. It's quite balanced. Like a sword and spear rolled into one."

Lance brought his spear to both hands and began to slowly inch towards his pupil while whirling it around at the sides. "It's rather ironic. You and I are the finest knights in the entire kingdom. Tonight, we'll know which of us is the superior of the two!" When Lance came within reach, Ashton made a quick thrust with the Flamberge. But Lance sidestepped the attack and performed an underhand upward swing, knocking the Flamberge upwards and sending Ashton staggering backwards from the imbalance in weight. While Ashton was unable to defend himself, Lance made a swift slash across the face, spraying Ashton's blood along the stone floor.

"GAAHHH!" Ashton brought a hand to the right side of his face, a clean cut running from just in front of his ear down to the chin. "Ashton, let's stop this. You were never able to match me from the start. Come, this world still needs you. Together, we can forge a true utopia. Don't force me to kill you!" However, Ashton was now overcome with rage, pity, and disappointment. "Shut up. Just shut the hell up!" He brought the Flamberge to his right hand while his left held his right cheek, trying to stop the bleeding. "You turned your back on your kingdom. You attempted to have me and Laika murdered at the town square. You damaged my family's estate while inflicting dire injury upon Chiara. And you even sank so low as to take my youngest servant and friend hostage! I can never forgive you!" As flames began to enshroud him, the Vulcan Warrior screamed, "Lance, you shall burn in Hell for your treason!"

Using only one hand, Ashton slashed away at his former teacher, pushing him towards the wall. (I always knew about Ashton's pyrokinetic powers, but it far exceeds anything I could have expected!) The traitor was only barely able to endure the blows Ashton was landing on him, even though he was successfully blocking each blow. Just then, Ashton leapt skyward and took the Flamberge in both hands. "Now die!" Like a bird of prey, he came diving down into the floor, smashing his sword against it with a massive crash! The impact created a crater below him. Lance was only barely able to dodge the attack, but the shockwave sent him sprawling across the floor and against the parapet that overlooked the ocean.

"Such strength…." Lance caught his breath as he climbed to his feet. "Wait…where's my…?" Ashton spoke up, "You mean this? Or rather, whatever's left of it?" He then kicked a small metal fragment over to Lance. "Now what are you gonna do? Your weapon has been shattered. You can't possibly hope to win now." Lance held the metal shard in his hands. "My own weapon…destroyed so thoroughly?"

Ashton pointed his weapon at the traitor, "If you surrender now, I promise to make your end swift and painless." However, Lance began to laugh manically instead. "Oh yes! I really should not have expected any less from the infamous Vulcan Warrior! I'm embarrassed to have doubted you! You really have surpassed me in every way." After a moment of more laughter, Lance settled down and chuckled, "And yet, you are still going to die here."

Ashton snorted, "Just take a good look at yourself! You're in no position to make threats." Lance gave an eerily evil smirk and asked, "Oh, am I? Then I suppose that secret weapon I was talking about several minutes ago doesn't apply to this situation?" Ashton once again grew skeptical and asked, "Oh please. If that was true, there surely would've been rumors flying around the kingdom." Lance then laughed, "But there are. Didn't Chiara tell you the rumors before you came out here? Knowing the scholar she is, she must have been eager to share them with you."

Ashton felt a chill flow down his spine, even with the flames flickering all over him. "No….. Are you saying that sea monster is…?" Lance smirked, "Precisely." With that, he performed a back flip and stood atop the wall overlooking the sea. "You will witness the end of the Kingdom of Rohta and the birth of the Utopia of Equality!"

Below the fortress, the sea began to ripple as a colossal shadow loomed just under the surface. Above, Lance bellowed, "Now arise, my faithful servant! Let us go forth and bring a new order to this land of savages!" At those words, a massive pillar of water burst from the sea! Once the creature within the pillar had stopped ascending, the water fell back into the ocean, revealing the beast's true form.

Ashton stood aghast at the sight of what loomed over the entire fortress. "That shape….. Is it…a Dragonite? Impossible! Dragonite…..are not capable of reaching…..such size…" The creature that stood before the hideout was completely covered in shadow, with its two eyes glowing in the darkness like a pair of beacons.

Lance gave one last cackle as the massive creature gently lifted him to its forehead. "By this time tomorrow, the Kingdom of Rohta will be reduced to ashes! And you, my dear Ashton, will serve as its sole human witness!"


	11. End of a Traitor

Ashton quivered in shock as he stood in the shadow of what seemed to be a truly colossal Dragonite. Lance stood proudly atop its head as he shouted, "So then, my star pupil, how do you think you'll take me down now? You'll have to kill this mighty dragon first, but can you really bring yourself to harm something you swore to protect?"

Ashton gritted his teeth as the dwindling flames that surrounded him began to flare up. "That won't be necessary! TAKE THIS!" Ashton threw up his left arm and fired a missile of flames at his mentor. But just before the blast struck, the Dragonite threw up its arm to block the blow. "No good, Ashton! This creature is my sword and my shield! It is a weapon and guardian! It will never allow me to be harmed!"

Ashton shook his head in disgust. He then shouted, "Noble dragon of the sea, why do you protect someone who is merely using you for revenge?" Lance shouted, "Don't bother! I am the Dragon Master, so he understands that I command all dragons! And now, do away with this eyesore!" The Dragonite began to raise his right arm.

"Not good!" Ashton made a dash for the edge of the roof, but the Dragonite brought its arm down hard, smashing the fortress while leaving the lighthouse intact. The shockwave blew Ashton head over heels, sending him flying over the edge and plummeting headfirst to the ground below. Worse, one of the stones that had been blown free from the fortress struck him in the head, knocking him out cold. Death seemed certain as the Vulcan Warrior fell to the ground below.

"PFFFTTT! What the hell?" Ashton shook his head after being blasted with a Water Gun. As he shook the water from his hair, a voice asked, "That was a close one. Are all right, my lord?" Ashton looked up to see the concerned face of Aurora gazing at him. Before he could even reply, she gasped, "Oh no! What happened to your face?" She then leaned forward to lick the cut on his right cheek. Ashton stroked the Suicune's face, "It's not as bad as it looks. Serenade can fix it without a problem." Aurora sighed, "Thank goodness. Oh, and who is this chap? He claims that he's an old friend of yours." Aurora motioned towards a Dragonair nearby. Ashton grinned, "Ah yes, Dimitri. We go way back. He was a dear friend of mine back at the academy."

Just then, something tackled Ashton! "Lord Ashton, thank you! I thought you wouldn't come for me!" Ruby sobbed as she squeezed Ashton tightly. "Good lord, you've got quite a grip…but don't cry, Ruby. I would never let you or any of your sisters be taken against their will." Ashton spoke as he stroked her face. Aurora asked, "So now that Ruby is safe, we can return to the estate." Ashton stood up and said, "I'm afraid it's still too soon for that. Look." Ashton pointed out to sea.

"My word…..is that a Dragonite?" Aurora whispered as the towering beast lumbered south towards Celestica. "It most certainly looks like one, although its size is outright ridiculous. I honestly can't say what it is. But the Black Wing commander is in control of it. He is perched on top of that creature's head."

Aurora then asked, "But why? What does he intend to do?" Ashton sighed, "Using that poor creature's massive power, the Black Wing plans to commit mass-genocide on the human population of Rohta. And it seems Celestica is their first target." Aurora shuddered, "Genocide….. I never imagined that a simple criminal organization were after nothing more than murder." Ashton then stood up and grabbed the Flamberge, which had fallen nearby, and placed it on his back. "And that is why I need to stop them."

Ruby pleaded, "You can't be serious! How do you intend to stop a sea monster?" Ashton sighed, "I don't know, but I have to try. It's my sworn duty as an independent knight to protect those who need help." Dimitri then coiled up around Ashton and gave him a very determined glance. "Thank you, old friend. I'm sure I'll need all the help I can get." Aurora bowed, "I will also do what I can to stop this threat." Ruby nodded, "Me too. I don't have much experience, but I think I can provide some aid." The Vulcan Warrior smiled, "Thank you, but if things get too dangerous, I want you three to escape. Understood?" All three of them nodded.

Lance sneered as the Dragonite he was riding walked with the ocean surface up to its waist. He could make out a number of glowing candles or torches that were illuminating various dwellings in Celestica. However, the usual nightly fog had rolled in, making it impossible to see the city, which was still a few miles away. "It will all begin soon. Those fools will finally understand true suffering. Hm? What's that?" Lance looked to his right and could see a very fast-moving object streaking over the surface. "Idiots. Thought they could slip by me undetected?"

Ashton looked to the left at the giant Dragonite in the distance as Ruby clutched Aurora's mane. The Suicune pleaded, "Would you mind telling me why we didn't take the land route back to Celestica? If I lose my speed, we'll sink!" Ashton replied, "The rest of the Black Wing should be regaining consciousness by now, and I don't want to have to fight every single one of them. Besides, it will take less time if we go as the crow flies. And time is of the essence. We must warn the townspeople." Just then, Ruby asked, "Um, what is that Dragonite doing?" Ashton looked back over to the left and saw the Dragonite's two glowing eyes starting to come into view. "Oh great. Aurora! Evasive maneuvers!"

The Dragonite began to form a massive sphere of glowing orange energy in its mouth. "You really need to learn to stay down, Ashton!" Lance pointed out at Aurora and shouted, "FIRE!" A truly unimaginable Hyper Beam was fired, illuminating the area. Aurora noticed and used Agility to add some more speed. But when the Hyper Beam missed her and disappeared under the surface, a colossal explosion blew her right out of the water!

"Lord Ashton! Ruby! Just hold on!" Aurora called as she fell back towards the sea. She made sure that she was still upright as she struck the water, sliding over it like ice. But before she could lose enough momentum to sink, she sprinted towards Celestica. "Well done, Aurora! And we're almost in the fog." Ashton applauded as they disappeared into the cloud. Lance groaned in disbelief as the Dragonite wheezed in exhaustion, bushed from the Hyper Beam. "I guess it just doesn't matter how powerful a Pokemon is. Hyper Beam always leaves them tired. Fine, take a moment to rest and continue south when you are able to." Lance ordered.

Ashton breathed a sigh of relief as the four of them proceeded through the fog. "I can't even see the water. This fog is too thick." Ruby complained. Aurora replied, "We'll be fine. Being something of a canine Pokemon, I have a greater than average sense of smell and hearing. I'll know when we get close." Several more minutes passed as the Suicune ran upon the waves. Suddenly, her three passengers felt her leap into the air. "Lady Aurora, what happened?" Ruby cried as she clutched Ashton tightly. A second later, Ruby felt Aurora land, except now it felt as if they were not moving. "You can get off now. We've reached land."

Ashton hopped off of Aurora and looked around. The fog was thinner there and the harbor could be seen all around them. Being past midnight, no one was around. Or so it seemed. "You there! Where'd you come from?" Ashton turned to face the direction of the voice and saw a flame in the fog. Soon a soldier with a torch and spear came into view. Ashton spoke up, "At ease, soldier. I am Ashton of Green Mile."

When the soldier heard Ashton's name, he gasped, "Ashton? The Vulcan Warrior? Please forgive my rudeness, sir!" He froze and stood at attention. "Now now, there's no need to be so formal. Besides, we're in a bit of a crisis here." The soldier heard and asked, "Crisis? Whatever do you mean?" Ruby shouted, "We're in trouble! There's a…" Ashton set his hand on her shoulder, "I'll handle this. I doubt he would listen to you anyway."

Ashton then asked, "Do you know of the rumors about the sea monster that resides just off the coast of the Demon's Cape?" The soldier laughed, "Surely you jest. There's not a soul in this town who has not heard of it!" Ashton then spoke, "Well it's on its way here right now. And it intends to massacre everyone here." The soldier's face turned pale. "You…..you are certain?" Ashton then pointed to the cut on the right side of his face, "It did this to me. And I'm not certain of how long it will be before it arrives. You need to evacuate the city before it gets here."

The soldier nodded, "Yes, at once! And Godspeed to you, Sir Ashton!" With that, the soldier turned and ran down the closest street. Before long, Ashton could hear shouting in the distance, "Sound the alarm, lads! We've got a big one coming! Women and children first! Evacuate to the south!" Ruby then asked, "Do you think they have enough time?" Ashton sighed and turned to face the ocean, "I can't say. The rest is up to the soldiers and guards that are stationed here." Dimitri then straightened up until his face was right next to Ashton's. A gentle hum came from his throat. Ashton shook his head and caressed his face, "No, not you. Dimitri, please head to the west. In the Viridian Forest is a cottage that is inhabited by a Gardevoir named Starlet and a Gallade named Siegfried. Let them know that I sent you and they should allow you to stay." The Dragonair began to shed tears as he anticipated what Ashton was about to tell him.

Ashton sighed, "I can't tell you what to do once you get there. Just stay as long as you want until you know what you want to do. My parents should be more than willing to allow you to stay." Dimitri then nuzzled mournfully against Ashton, who then embraced him while shedding tears himself. "We may not meet again. I am doubtful that I will survive this ordeal. So should this be our final goodbye….." Ashton then whispered into his friend's ear, "You are my best friend. Farewell." Ashton then let go of Dimitri, who then spread his feathered ears and took to the air. The two friends gave each other a final nod of approval before the Dragonair flew west.

Aurora asked, "My lord, whatever did you mean that you are doubtful of surviving this ordeal?" Ashton looked at her and sighed, "Dragonite are known to be some of the most powerful Pokemon alive. And this one is a real beast of a dragon. I am somewhat doubtful that I, a mere human, can possibly stand against such a force. The Black Wing sure went out of their way to acquire the service of such a creature." Aurora cried, "Absolutely not! I will not allow you to leave us!" Ashton jumped slightly, but asked, "Why do you feel so strongly for me? Surely your own survival should be at the top of your priorities right now."

Aurora took a deep breath as she gathered her courage. (If he is so certain this will be his final hour, then I must tell him.) Aurora then spoke, "Lord Ashton, I must tell you something. Something I have been hiding for many months." Ashton looked a bit surprised and said, "Well, what is it?" Aurora's face began to turn red under her fur. Suddenly, she shouted, "I LOVE YOU!" Ashton staggered back from this outburst and said, "What? Truly?" Aurora nodded tearfully. Ashton stood transfixed for a moment before grinning while scratching his head, "I…see. Well, if you're so attached to me, I'd best be certain to survive this duel." As Ashton turned and walked to the edge of the closest pier, Aurora groaned, "How can you be so naïve? Will you ever understand? Still, I suppose that's one of the reasons why I fell in love with him."

An hour passed as the three companions waited. Ashton had grown quite drowsy and began to lean on the Flamberge to remain standing. "Could it be that he had a change of heart? I suppose that's still wishful thinking. Perhaps that Hyper Beam tuckered the poor fellow out more than I thought." Ashton said with a yawn. "Lance…..you better not be trying to make me fall asleep so I can't repel your attack." A moment later, Ruby came over to him and asked, "Lord Ashton, does it feel like the ground is shaking?" The viscount lazily looked around, but could not feel any tremors, even through his steel leg armor. "Are you sure you're not imagining things?" Ruby scratched her head, "Guess so. Maybe it was just those dull booms I was hearing."

Ashton looked back out to sea, but suddenly looked back at Ruby with a panicked expression. "You say you heard what sounded like booms?" The Lucario nodded. Ashton pointed to the stone pier they were standing on, "Press your ear against the floor and tell me what you hear." Ruby did as she was told and held an ear to the stone. "I hear booms of some sort. They happen every few seconds, and they keep getting a little louder with each one." Ashton turned back towards the sea and saw a towering silhouette within the fog. "IT'S HERE!"

Aurora took a few steps back, clearly intimidated by the sheer size of the creature that now stood in the harbor. A voice called out, "Now, my faithful servant! Aim for the center of the city!" An orange glow began to illuminate the harbor as the Dragonite began to ready a Hyper Beam. Ashton shuddered, "If that hits the center….. No, there's no way that the entire population could have evacuated by now. The city will be demolished!" Ashton took the Flamberge in hand and screamed, "Forgive me!" He then leapt at the Dragonite and plunged the massive blade into its belly.

A groan was emitted from the Dragonite as it reached down. "Strange. I thought it would be in more pain than this." Ashton muttered, unaware of the creatures' claws reaching for him. "Hm? Darn it!" Ashton yelled as the Dragonite grabbed him from behind and raised him into the air, pulling out the Flamberge in the process. It then tossed Ashton towards the ground.

"My lord! Hold on!" Aurora screamed as she used Gust to slow Ashton's fall. As he landed on his feet, Ashton spoke, "That was close. Many thanks." At that moment, Lance called out, "Ashton! Why do you hesitate? Are you afraid of causing fatal injury to a Pokemon? Is that why you are allowing it the time it needs to destroy this city?" Ashton looked up at the hulking dragon and saw that even while dealing with him a moment ago; it still was gathering energy for a Hyper Beam. "This creature's pain tolerance is almost godlike. I'm starting to wonder if it is truly immortal."

Lance looked down at Aurora and noticed a glow of many colors radiating off the crystal on her head. "An Aurora Beam? Clever, but too late!" As soon as Lance pointed at Aurora, the massive Dragonite unleashed its Hyper Beam prematurely! "No, Aurora!" Ashton screamed, but it was too late. The blast hit home and Aurora was sent flying into the wall of a nearby inn, creating a sizable impact crater in the wall. She fell to the ground, unconscious and gravely wounded.

"Lady Aurora! No!" Ruby screamed as she ran over to her superior. As she cradled the Suicune's face, Ruby breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. Her aura is still strong. She'll be fine." She then looked over to Ashton and called, "Lady Aurora is unconscious, but I think she will be fine!" The viscount sighed, "Thank God." But just as he looked back at the sea, he noticed one of the Dragonite's massive arms coming down on him! "Shoot!" Ashton leapt back like before at the lighthouse, narrowly evading a direct hit. "I can't fight from a distance, and I'm fairly certain that my Ninja Arts will be of little aid. Maybe from the rooftops….." Ashton then placed the Flamberge on his back and focused his life strength into his legs. "Come on!" With a mighty leap, Ashton reached the roof of a nearby barracks for soldiers and weapons.

"Fighting from the rooftops, are you? You must be getting desperate!" Lance mocked as he watched from his perch on the Dragonite's head. As Ashton looked around the roof, he spotted some wooden bolts and a crossbow resting next to the stairs that led below into the barracks. "Just what I needed." Ashton ran over to the crossbow and grabbed a bolt. Taking the crossbow in hand, Ashton placed the bolt at the front of the weapon. He then pulled back, stretching the bowstring until it was locked in place. Fully armed, Ashton faced the sea and took aim. "If I take out the one who is in control…" Ashton then set the bolt flying with a pull of the trigger. But before the shot could reach Lance, the Dragonite blocked the bolt with its arm. The creature's scales seemed to be quite durable as Ashton could see the bolt fall into the sea below in the moonlight.

Ashton quickly reloaded the crossbow and fired again at Lance, who was again defended by the Dragonite. Ashton fired several more bolts before Lance shouted, "You're only wasting your ammunition! If you want to get to me, then you will have to slay my servant first!" Ashton groaned in disgust as he reloaded the crossbow again. With his mind in a struggle, he took aim at the Dragonite and set him aim on its glowing eyes. (I can't….. I could never forgive myself for robbing such a majestic creature of his sight….. Even if it means risking the kingdom…)

A tense moment passed as both sides did nothing, waiting for Ashton to decide. Before long, Ashton lowered the crossbow and cried, "I can't do it….. I just can't do it." To Lance's surprise, Ashton dropped the crossbow. To top that off, he then grabbed the hilt of the Flamberge and threw his weapon over the side of the roof behind him. A rustling sound was heard as it landed in a Rapidash-drawn cart on the street that was filled with hay.

Ashton held his arms outwards from his sides, as if awaiting an embrace. "Please, noble guardian of the sea! I beseech you; do not continue this assault on my home! The humans of this kingdom can change! I will not attempt to harm you further! So please…cease this destruction!" Lance simply laughed, "Such a fool. Do you honestly think that this beast will listen to a simpleton like you?" He then pointed at Ashton, "Do away with this eyesore! We have wasted too much time on him already." As instructed, the Dragonite raised its right arm above them. Ashton whispered, "You don't have to do this….. Please…no more." He then closed his eyes as the arm began to descend.

There was a massive crash as the entire barracks was crushed beneath the unparalleled strength of the colossal Dragonite. Ruby looked on in utter horror as the barracks was leveled in a cloud of dust and smoke. "No…..NOOOO!" The young Lucario screamed in tears as she left Aurora's side and ran towards the remains of Ashton's tomb. "No, don't die! Please don't leave me!" Ruby wept as she sifted through the debris, praying for her master.

"Huh?" Ruby gasped as a hand was revealed after she removed a large chunk of stone. "I'm close…" Ruby then began to focus on a smaller area. Soon she fully uncovered Ashton, who was bleeding from many wounds all over his body, his armor fractured. "Ruby…" Ashton gasped, blood oozing from his lips. "No…please hold on. I don't want to lose you, my lord." Ashton slowly brought a hand to her cheek and smiled, "Leave me…you must take Aurora and flee. Warn the queen of this tragedy and leave this nation. Please…" Ashton let out a heavy breath as he closed his eyes.

"Lord Ashton…? Lord Ashton! Please speak to me!" Ruby pleaded as she shook his body, completely forgetting to sense his aura. After a moment, Ruby fell silent. "No….you can't….." Tears fell from her face as she clutched her chest. Lance saw what Ruby was doing and said, "When one entreats the impossible while staring into the face of his demise, the end is decided." He then called out, "Don't waste your time on him! Ashton was a fool from the beginning! So naïve, it was almost sickening! Never able to see the truth!"

Ruby heard Lance's words and shuddered. "He wasn't the only one who didn't see the truth right away." The Lucario slowly climbed to her feet as her aura became visible, billowing with previously unknown power. "I thought for the longest time that I simply liked him. Simply wanted to serve and have him in my life." She clenched her fists, "What a fool I was…..how blind I was to how I really felt….." She then looked up at Lance and screamed, "I LOVED HIM, AND YOU TOOK HIM AWAY FROM ME!" Lance sounded like he was going to pass out from laughing after this. "Oh please, why fall in love with someone who cannot fall in love with you? But if you miss him so terribly, I can help you see him again!" He then shouted, "Now, send this poor girl to join her sweetheart!"

The Dragonite sent its arm towards Ruby in the form of a punch. "I'll make you pay for this!" Ruby screamed as she used Force Palm on the hand, sending a shockwave right up into the body while stopping the attack entirely. The Dragonite groaned in discomfort as a mild case of paralysis set in. "Shake it off! You're the most powerful being alive! Finish her already!" Lance commanded as his patience ran thin. Ruby then began to gather her aura into a gap in-between her hands. "Oh man… DON'T JUST STAND THERE! STOP HER!"

The Dragonite gathered as much energy as it could before Ruby fired an Aura Sphere at its head! But the Dragonite countered with a Hyper Beam and the two blasts collided, pushing back and forth in a battle of sheer force. Even though the Hyper Beam was severely underpowered compared to a fully charged blast, it was still bearing down on Ruby as she tried to find the strength she needed to avenge the man she loved.

Just when it seemed she was about to be overcome by her opponent, Ruby screamed, "DIIIEEE!" With that, her aura surged like a blue flame! The Aura Sphere cut right through the Hyper Beam and blasted the Dragonite square in the face. Clearly dazed, the poor creature stumbled forward a bit and suddenly staggered backwards. But the sudden change in momentum caused Lance to topple forward off his slave's head, plummeting to the ground below. But before he even had the chance to reach 50 feet from the ground, Lance saw Ruby leap up to his right. "Wha…what's that?" He gasped as he saw a sphere of red energy being formed in-between her hands. As time seemed to stand still, Ruby yelled, "THIS IS FOR ASHTON!" Consumed with rage and sorrow, Ruby unleashed a massive Focus Blast at pointblank, sending a screaming Lance over the horizon to the east until he was out of sight.

When she fell back to the ground, Ruby walked over to the ruins of the barracks and kneeled before Ashton. "I'm so sorry. I should have been more aware of my feelings." Tears began to cascade down her muzzle as Ruby sobbed, "I was such a fool for not being aware of how I really felt… Now I'll never have the chance to tell you…" Ruby fell onto Ashton's chest and broke down, crying her eyes out.

"Tell me what?" Ruby froze as a voice spoke up. Actually, it was more of a whisper. "What did you…want to tell me?" Ruby looked up at Ashton's face and stared at him. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Ruby remained silent for a moment, but then cried, "Lord Ashton!" She leapt forward and threw her arms around his neck as she sobbed. "I thought I lost you forever!" Her master patted her on the back, "Nonsense. I would never leave you while you girls still needed me."

A voice groaned, "Lord Ashton, what happened to you? Did I miss something?" Ashton and Ruby looked over and saw Aurora staring at them. "Oh, I just took a beating. Nothing more." Aurora giggled, "But you seem to be fine, even if you did take some nasty blows." That's when it hit him. "Right! What happened after I passed out? Where is…OW!" Ashton yelped as he felt the sting of his wounds. Ruby replied, "Actually…..I took care of him."

Both Aurora and Ashton stared at Ruby and asked, "WHAT? REALLY?" Ruby blushed, "I was just so angry that you two had been hurt, and I kind of lost it. He's dead. I know he is." Ashton smiled, "I always knew that you were a little jewel that had not yet found her luster. I told you that you were not worthless and I was right." Ruby giggled, remembering when he said those words on the ship where he had chosen her over a pack of normal Lucario. Aurora added, "You really have become a beautiful and strong jewel, just like a ruby. You had to be in order to bring down the Black Wing's leader." Just then, an almost sorrowful whimper was heard, much like the cry of a whale.

Ashton, Aurora, and Ruby looked up and saw the Dragonite staring down at them, its body still covered in blackness. "Are you hurt? I hope that cut didn't go too deep." Ashton asked, remembering the wound he made when he stabbed the poor creature with the Flamberge. The Dragonite then gently reached down to Ashton and touched his face with a claw. Ashton sighed, "I'll be fine. And I'm not angry at you. I'm certain that scum was manipulating you somehow. But please, do not continue to haunt this city. Please just continue living peacefully." The Dragonite gave Ashton a gentle cry that seemed to say "Thanks" and turned towards the open sea. Soon he disappeared into the morning fog.

Aurora yawned, "The sun will be rising soon. Shall we head home?" Ashton nodded, "Yes. I could use a bath myself. But first, could you please fetch the Flamberge for me, Ruby? I think it fell into a cart filled with hay behind us." Ruby nodded, "OK. I'll just be a second." She bounded over the rubble and found the Flamberge lying in exactly what Ashton said it was. Carrying it over her head, Ruby brought it back over to Ashton. "Many thanks." With some effort, Ashton climbed to his feet and placed the Flamberge on his back.

"Steady now. Don't push yourself." Aurora instructed as Ashton tenderly climbed onto her back. Once he was onboard, Ruby climbed on as well. "Let's get home. I'm sure the girls will be quite pleased to see us together." Ashton wheezed. Aurora nodded and took off to the southeast, a northern wind blowing in her wake. As Ruby held on to Ashton's back, she thought to herself, (Lady Laika said that I shouldn't love Ashton. But I can't help it. I really do love him. But how will I tell him without risking my life in the process?) Ruby sighed as Ashton complained of how expensive his armor was and how much trouble it was going to be to replace it.

"That wretch….. To think that such a little Lucario could contain such power…" Lance groaned as he crawled through the forest to the east of Celestica. The sun had not yet risen and it was still very dark. "It's not over yet… As long as I still live, the Black Wing will never fall. I will rest and tend to my wounds and once again enslave that beast. And I'll be sure to dispose of that little wretch first!"

Lance panted in exhaustion as he rested against the base of a tree. "My whole body aches… What the devil did she blast me with?" Lance began to drift off to sleep, but a sound caught his ears. He listened closely and heard what sounded like metal leg armor clanking with each step. And it seemed to be getting closer. "Is it my men? Have they come to find me?"

Lance remained silent as the steps drew closer. Soon, he could barely make out the silhouette of what seemed to be a hulking man standing before him. "Who are you?" Just then, Lance felt a massive hand grab him by the throat and raise him until his feet were no longer touching the ground. What was more, the hand that was holding him felt severely grotesque, like it was not even human.

A dark mocking voice spoke, "You will be the first to experience my new method of restoring my power." Lance was puzzled by what this creature just said, but when his eyes trailed downwards he saw what seemed to be an eye embedded into the side of a long object that was being held in the creature's left hand. That's when it came to him. "No…..you can't be…!"

As Lance screamed his final breath, an ancient voice whispered, "Your soul is only the beginning. And with this new method, my restoration is all but guaranteed." As the creature left the lifeless husk of what used to be Sir Lance behind, it muttered, "I will show this world the greatest nightmare."


	12. A Royal Request

"Curse those Black Wing scumbags….. How dare they do this to my garden?" Cassandra grumbled as she replanted the flowerbeds that had been ravaged by the Black Wing's attack on the manor. The sun had just risen into the sky. The Absol sighed, "He said that they would be back by morning at the latest. If that's true, then where are they?" Right when she said that, a northern wind blew in. Instinctively, Cassandra spun around and saw Aurora standing at the crumpled gate.

"Aurora?" Cassandra called, only to be greeted by, "Lady Cassandra!" The Absol gasped to see Ruby jump off of Aurora's back and ran over to the Lucario. "Ruby! Lord Ashton stayed true to his word!" Rearing up on her legs, Cassandra embraced her 'sister' as Ruby did the same. "Yes, Lord Ashton rescued me." Aurora then asked, "Cassandra, would you be a dear and alert Serenade? Ashton took some knocks and could use some medical attention." Cassandra immediately let go of Ruby and ran inside.

"Well, we're home, my lord." Aurora sighed as she looked over her shoulder. Ashton was leaning forward while asleep. "Lord Ashton, I know you're exhausted, as am I, but now that we're home, wouldn't a hot bath do you well?" Aurora gave her body a quick shake to wake him up, but instead he slid right off her back and hit the ground with a clank as his fractured armor broke further.

Aurora sighed, "The poor dear. Must be exhausted to not even wake up. Ruby, please take him to his quarters. I need to tend to my own injuries." Aurora then made her way inside, leaving the Lucario with her master. "OK. Just hold on, Lord Ashton. You'll be resting in bed soon." Ruby then hoisted Ashton onto her shoulders and proceeded inside, closing the door behind her.

"Ugh…..uh?" Ashton slowly sat up as his body ached. "Wait… Am I back home?" A familiar voice replied, "Yes. You've been asleep for quite a while. It's already past noon." The viscount looked to his left and saw Serenade sitting at his bedside. "Your wounds are fairly significant, but I just finished closing them. Even so, I recommend taking it easy until tomorrow morning." Ashton felt the right side of his face and could not even feel a scar where Lance had slashed him. "I'll say it again. Your medical skills are centuries ahead of our time."

"Sir…" Ashton looked down at his right and saw Laika looking up at him. "Laika? Did you watch the estate while I was away?" The Mightyena nodded, "Yes. No one intruded during your absence. Are you well?" Ashton grinned, "I'm surprised you would be so concerned for a human. Do you have a fever?" Laika snorted, "You are the only human who has ever shown me kindness. It's only natural that I would be concerned for your wellbeing." The viscount smiled and gently rubbed her head. This prompted a sigh of pleasure from the Mightyena.

Ashton looked at Serenade and asked, "What of Aurora? Were her wounds severe?" Ashton's sister smiled, "I'm surprised by just how durable she is. Her injuries were fairly mild. It was no trouble at all to heal her. She is already back on her feet." The viscount breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. And what of Chiara? Did her condition improve overnight?" Serenade nodded, "Yes. She also applied a self-healing spell to hasten the mending of her internal injuries. I believe it was Recover. She even went out for a little flight to stretch her wings just before you returned." Ashton sighed, "Sister….. I am in your debt." Serenade blushed, "Nonsense. I was just doing my part in helping our family."

A knock was heard at the door. "I got it." Laika spoke as she approached the door and nudged it open slightly with her muzzle as it was not entirely closed. She saw Ruby standing in front of her. "Lady Laika, may I enter?" The she wolf stepped back a bit and looked at Ashton. "It's Ruby. May I let her in?" Her master grinned, "Of course." Laika pushed the door all the way open and nodded, "You may enter." At that, Ruby ran in and leapt onto the bed. "Lord Ashton, let me say once again how grateful I am that you rescued me!" The viscount blushed slightly, "It was not a problem at all. I would never allow a gang of ruffians to have their way with a lovely maiden like you."

Ashton asked, "Now that I think about it, would you like me to paint your portrait now?" Ruby's face lit up, "OH YES! Please do so!" Ash chuckled a bit, but grunted as he tried to climb out of bed. "Allow me." Serenade walked over to the chest where Ashton kept his art supplies. She began to rummage through it. "Let's see… I think this is all." She then set up the easel and canvas next to the bed. "Did I miss anything?" Ashton shook his head, "No, you got everything. I'll handle the paint and such myself." He then managed to sit up in bed. "Ruby, where would you like to pose?" She glanced around for a moment and pointed at the sofa that Laika had chosen. "I see. Serenade, please leave us for now. I need to focus." Serenade bowed to her brother and left the bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

"Ruby, could you come over here? I wish to give you something before we begin." Curious, the Lucario approached her master. Ashton then reached under his pillow and pulled out what seemed to be a choker. "Remember the day you and I went to the market together? I picked this up just for you." Ruby quickly noticed the jewel on the front. It was a bright red ruby. But just then, she had an idea. "Lord Ashton, may I ask you a favor?" The viscount nodded, "Absolutely. What will it be?" Ruby then fitted the choker around her neck and said, "I want you to paint my portrait with me wearing this." Ashton grinned, "I was about to ask you the same thing." But then Ruby added, "I meant, wearing ONLY this."

Laika raised an eyebrow at Ruby's request. She could think of only one possibility of why she would want to be almost completely nude in front of her master. (Ruby, you better not push your luck.) Ashton simply laughed, "What do you mean? You're not wearing anything but that choker right now! Uh…..what are you doing?" Ashton stared as Ruby brought her hands to her waist. "Have you really forgotten?" With a quick yank she slid her blue pants down to her toes. "Ga…..I…" Ashton was left speechless as he stared at the now nude form of his servant. Her upper legs were covered in sleek black fur like her lower legs while her torso was covered with the same yellow fur as her upper torso. But what caught Ashton's eyes the most were the delicate virgin lips between her legs.

"Now that I'm wearing only this choker, may we begin?" Ruby asked with a sweet wink. Ashton's face began to turn red in a deep blush. Laika noticed and gulped, (Is she trying to seduce him?) Ashton remained silent as his gaze remained focused on Ruby. The Lucario could see how he was trying to restrain himself and blushed, (Does this mean he loves me as well? Will he set aside his differences and mate with me?) Much to her disappointment, Ashton gasped, "Stay calm…..deep breaths….." Ruby sighed as she realized Ashton had not caught on.

"OK…..so you want me to paint your portrait while you are wearing nothing more than that choker? I can handle that." Ashton sighed as he wiped a minor nosebleed from his face. Ruby nodded and reclined on the sofa, her left arm draped along the top of the back while her right hand rested on her abdomen. Ashton blushed, "Good God, you're beautiful. Even by human standards, you are very well-endowed." Ruby blushed in delight as she let out an adorable giggle. Ashton then took the paint and set some on the pallet. "Are you comfortable? Then let's begin."

Cassandra breathed a sigh of satisfaction as she assessed the flowerbeds she had replanted. "Hm! I can't even tell that they were uprooted! All that's left is the bushes." The Absol turned to face the closest bush sculpture, which was still messily decapitated. Cassandra made a weird face as she gulped, "Um…maybe later." Just then, she felt some strong wind and heard a thud behind her. When she turned to welcome the visitor, she saw Chiara folding her wings.

"Welcome back, Chiara! Ashton returned while you were away. Ruby and Aurora are doing well." The Lugia gasped, "He saved her? Bless his soul. I must give him my thanks!" As Chiara made her way to the front door, Cassandra spoke up, "I don't think that's a good idea at the moment. He suffered some injuries and is not in the best shape. At least wait until this evening." Chiara sighed, "I see. I'm at least relieved that he will be just fine. I'll just wait until Zandria prepares dinner then." The midget Lugia then proceeded inside while Cassandra rested her head in a flowerbed, indulging in the many aromas.

About three hours passed before Zandria began preparing dinner. She had already heard of Ruby's rescue and was preparing a very special dish just for Ashton. A smirk crossed her face as she sang, "You always thought you were on top, thinking you could take any girl as your mate. Well I found mine, and you'll be on tonight's dinner plate!" The Zangoose whistled as she diced some meat and skewered them on spits before setting them over the fire.

"Zandria, did you hear? Lord Ashton brought Ruby home! He followed through with his promise!" Zandria turned to face her guest and grinned, "I already heard from Aurora. As for you, Laura, shouldn't you be dusting the art in the manor?" The Latias giggled, "I will just as soon as Ashton finishes the newest portrait. He's painting Ruby's picture at this moment." This surprised the Zangoose. Zandria asked, "He is? Then that leaves Aurora and Chiara that he hasn't painted yet. Wonder when he's gonna get around to them."

After another hour of cooking, Zandria loaded up the cart and set off down the hall. She stopped by Chiara's, Aurora's, and Serenade's rooms before coming to Ashton's. Forgetting to knock, she walked right in. "Dinner is served, my lord." She then noticed Ruby putting away Ashton's art supplies. "Oh, hello Lady Zandria! Lord Ashton is still a tad bruised, but he'll be able to walk tomorrow." Ruby said with a bow. Zandria then noticed the painting near the bed. "Did you just finish that?" Ashton nodded, "Indeed. The paint's barely dry. Care to have a look?" Zandria smiled, "You bet." She then wheeled the cart of food to a table and approached the painting.

Zandria marveled at the detail, somewhat surprised that Ashton had not used his art skills for profit. "Hm? Is that a choker with a ruby on it?" Ruby spoke, "Yes. It's right here." Zandria turned and noticed the choker right around her neck. Ashton spoke, "I picked that up for her myself. Just like your circlet." The Zangoose grinned, "OK, thanks. I was almost jealous for a second." She then looked back to the painting, her eyes scanning it. Just then, her face had a look of bewilderment. She looked over at Ruby and asked, "You took off your pants?" Ruby said nothing and merely blushed while letting out a giggle.

Ashton clapped his hands, "Now then, who thinks it's time to eat?" Laika and Ruby nodded in approval as Zandria rolled the cart over to Ashton's bedside. "This is a new kind of meat I'm testing out. Let me know what it's like." She then lifted the metal dome, releasing a plume of steam. Ashton's mouth began to water at the aroma of the steaks that lay in front of him.

Ashton took a knife and fork and quickly carved a piece from a steak and started chewing. At first, he was quite pleased with the flavor, but his face of delight began to change to one of deep thought. The flavor led him to believe that the meat was extremely lean. Too lean for standard livestock. He also noticed the skin was still intact around the sides of the steaks. It was a shade of grey.

Zandria noticed Ashton's face turn a little blue. (Oh boy, has he figured it out?) Once Ashton swallowed his load, he asked, "Zandria. Is this stuff what I think it is?" The Zangoose shrugged her shoulders, "That depends. What do you think it is?" He shuddered, "Please tell me that this is NOT the Machoke that you killed in the tournament a few days ago!" Zandria smirked, "Very well then. I won't tell you that." Laika had to suppress a grin as Ruby burst into laughter while Ashton tried to keep a grip on his stomach.

Once Ashton had finished dinner, leaving the Machoke meat alone, he heard a knock at the door. "You may enter." The door swung open and Chiara stepped forth. "Well done with tonight's meal, Zandria. I never knew Machoke meat was so delectable!" Zandria grinned, "In that case, you can have Ashton's share. Is that fine with you, my lord?" The viscount groaned, "Yes, just don't make me eat that stuff anymore!" Chiara smiled, "Then I'll just take them off your hands." She then started to chow down on the steaks that Ashton had refused to eat.

"Mmmmmmm! Delicious! Another work of perfection! But in any case, I have a message to you, Lord Ashton." She then reached into the satchel that was hanging from her neck and pulled out a message tube. She then handed it to Ashton. However, he was quick to notice a red ribbon around it. "A red ribbon? This is a message from the queen!" Chiara nodded, "Yes. When I left this morning, I went straight to the castle of Green Mile to inform the queen that you had gone off to deal with the Black Wing at their headquarters. She gave me this message to give to you, should you happen to return alive." Not wasting anymore time, Ashton popped open the end of the tube and slid out the note inside. He unrolled it and began to read it silently.

Ruby was the first to ask. "Lord Ashton, what does the message say?" Ashton lowered the message and smiled, "The queen has requested me to appear before her tomorrow at noon. She has also requested that all eight of you join me. I should be well enough by morning to walk on my own, but what about you girls?" Chiara nodded, "The queen is a very good person. I would enjoy an audience with her." Ruby added, "Me too! She must really like Lord Ashton, so I wanna meet her!" Ashton then looked at Laika. She snorted, "Do I have a choice? I have to be near the master at all times." Zandria also nodded, "I guess I'll tag along too."

Ashton grinned, "So it's decided then." He then grabbed a nearby writing quill and began to jot down his name at the bottom of the message, a sign that he agreed to the queen's request. Ruby walked over and looked down at Ashton's name. However, it was not the name she knew her master by. "Lord Ashton? Why are you not writing your real name?" The viscount looked at her and replied, "This IS my real name." Ruby was baffled and asked, "So your real name is Ashton Redford Crimson?"

Zandria chuckled, "Redford Crimson? That's a really noble name!" Ashton on the other hand groaned, "Please…..never call me that. It just does not appeal to me." Laika then asked, "So then how did you get that name?" Ashton frowned, "Crimson is my family name. Not Serenade's parents, but my own. Redford is my middle name, but I just can't stand being called that. I'll never understand what my mother was thinking, giving me that name on her deathbed. At least, that's what Serenade's parents claim. I decided to go by the last name of Ketchum to sound more casual and not as snooty, which many would expect of someone from a noble family." Chiara giggled, "Well it most certainly is unique. But you must never forget your roots. Words to live by, believe me." Ashton slipped the letter back into the message tube and smiled, "Very true. Chiara, please deliver this promptly." Placing the tube back in her satchel, the Lugia made her way back outside and took to the sky.

That night, Ashton read over a book about legends in the Far East by candlelight. He had long been fascinated by the exotic myths and stories in his former teacher's homeland. The story that caught his eye the most was the legend of the Yamata no Orochi and how it was slain by a warrior known as Susanoo. He could never quite imagine the size of that beast, as it was stated that its body extended over eight valleys and hills. He pondered the size of the eight-headed serpent again as Laika drifted off to sleep at her master's side.

Ashton jumped slightly as he heard the door open. "Who goes there?" A voice replied, "Ruby, sir!" Ashton then asked, "Isn't it a bit late for you?" The Lucario walked in and shut the door behind her, "I just…..well… I want to be near you tonight. I want to stay close to the man who saved me." Ashton sighed, "Very well. Climb in."

Ashton held up the blanket for Ruby to slide under. Once she was in bed, Ashton draped them both with the blanket before snuffing out the candle. Ruby was resting on one side of Ashton while Laika was on the other. "Ashton, what do you think the queen wishes to see you about?" Ruby asked as she snuggled closer to her master. Ashton placed a hand on her back as he replied, "Can't say for sure. We won't know until we arrive."

Ruby let out a yawn as she asked, "What is the queen like? Is she pretty?" Ashton let out a bit of a giggle, "Very much so. Her name is Jessica and she has been queen for little over five years. She was the daughter of a duke, but she caught the eye of our late king, who was slain not that long ago by the Night Hawk. He was hardly any older than her and they wed soon after meeting each other. Our king was known as James II, also known as the Indigo Archer as he was quite skilled with the bow. They were a very happy couple, and they were very kind to Pokemon as if they viewed them as friends."

Ruby sighed, "But if they see Pokemon as friends, why have they not forbid the awful acts the humans keep doing to us?" Ashton shook his head, "I intend to ask the queen that question myself when we see her tomorrow. Let's get some sleep before then. OK?" Ruby nodded, "OK. Good night, Lord Ashton." The two fell asleep in a tender embrace, unaware that Laika had scooted closer to Ashton and rested her head against him.

Once noon came, Ashton and his eight servants gathered at the newly repaired gate of the estate. "So everyone is coming?" Laura giggled, "Where you go, we go!" The viscount smiled, "I'm grateful. Oh yes! Serenade, would you mind giving me a hand?" The Gardevoir nodded, "Oh, I see. Absolutely." The two of them stood side by side just in front of the gate. Aurora asked, "Just what are you two doing?" Serenade replied, "We wouldn't want any bandits breaking in while we're away, would we?"

Ashton held his right hand out to his side while Serenade did the same with her left. The two siblings grasped each other's hand and pressed their other hand against the gate. Together, they began to mutter some sort of chant. Aurora cocked her head to one side, "What is this incantation?" Chiara smirked, "Just wait and see." As soon as she said that, a faint blue ring rose from the gate and walls that surrounded the estate and rose upwards, as if moving along an unseen dome. Once the ring of ethereal light closed above the manor, it vanished. "There we go! No need to worry now!"

Ashton and Serenade walked back over to the group. However, Aurora asked, "Just what happened?" Ashton looked at Chiara, "Care to do the honors?" The Lugia smirked, "I shall. What Lord Ashton and Serenade just used was a type of sealing spell that requires two individuals with an unbreakable bond. Although you can't see it, the blue ring of light we saw just now created an invisible barrier that allows gases and liquids through, but blocks anything solid. It even extends underground, just in case someone tries to dig their way in." Ashton nodded, "Your knowledge is as deep as ever. Now then, shall we be going?"

It took about an hour for Ashton's entourage to reach the perimeter of the royal palace of Green Mile. The entire castle was surrounded by a moat to hinder invaders. As they stood before the drawbridge, a guard called down from one of the two battlements that bordered the entrance. "You there! Are you Ashton?" The viscount replied, "Indeed I am! I have arrived for my audience with the queen!" The guard then turned around and shouted, "Alright lads! Drop the bridge!" At those words, the wooden drawbridge began to lower. It hit the ground with a loud bang which startled Ruby. "Ease up, Ruby. If anyone tries to getcha, I'll skewer them with my claws." Zandria said as she patted her 'sister' on the shoulder. This comforted Ruby somewhat, as she seemed to stop shaking.

Ashton's entourage passed through the courtyard before entering the palace itself. "The royal hall is directly ahead." Ashton said as he led the eight ladies. A pair of heavily armed knights stood guard at the large wooden door that stood vigil before the royal hall. "Lord Ashton, you and your guests are cleared to enter." The guards then pushed the two halves of the door open. Once the nine guests had entered, the guards pulled the door shut and stood watch at the entrance again. At the very end of the royal hall was the queen herself, seated upon her throne. The king's throne stood empty to her left. But as they approached, Ashton noticed something lying at the queen's feet. The creature looked ahead in shock when the sunlight shone on the viscount's face.

"SERRA!" Ashton dashed forward as the Salamence bounded down the hall towards him. When they reached each other, the Salamence reared up on her hind legs and embraced her old friend as Ashton did the same. "It's been so long….. I missed you, Serra…" Ashton sobbed as he held Serra tightly, both of them shedding tears of joy.

Laura's jaw dropped as she watched her crush giving love to some random Salamence. Serenade noticed her expression and laughed, "I assure you, it's not what it looks like at all! Serra is just an old friend of Ashton when he was still a squire. She was originally going to be his dragon mount when he graduated, but an unforeseen tragedy left her wings crippled. Chiara took her place after that." Laura snapped back to reality and said, "Oh, I get it now!" Chiara then spoke, "So that's Serra. Poor girl. No wonder she's so happy to see him."

"OK, that will do, Serra! Please!" Ashton pushed the Salamence off him, as she had knocked him to the ground. "I'm very relieved that you're doing well, but I have some business to attend to." He then proceeded towards the queen with Serra at his side. His eight servants stood close behind him. Once he was before the queen, he dropped to one knee. "What did you wish to see me about, your highness?" Queen Jessica raised her hand and smiled, "No. Please stand, Sir Ashton. It is I who should bow. I, as well as the entire kingdom, owe you greatly for your deeds."

Jessica stood up with the royal scepter in hand. She was draped in an elegant white gown while a dazzling purple circlet encircled her cranium. Her long red hair flowed behind her before curling inwards slightly at the end. Her earrings were simple in design and were made of jade. She sighed, "Allow me to personally thank you for slaying the Night Hawk. Now my beloved husband can rest in peace."

Ashton stood up and nodded, "I'm sorry to say that I have no memory of the climax of that duel. Are you certain that it was I who killed her? I thought she perished in a failed suicide attack." Jessica shook her head, "I received word directly from one of my aides that you dealt the final blow yourself. Although he did seem a bit pale. Perhaps your means of dealing with her was a tad extreme." Ashton shrugged his shoulders, "Strange. I wonder what really happened." She then added, "Of course, I should thank you as well, Serra. If it was not for you, I would have been slain along with my husband."

Cassandra spoke up, "What? You mean that the Night Hawk targeted you as well?" Jessica nodded, "Yes, Lady Cassandra. The Night Hawk had been commissioned to slay me along with the king. But when she came for me after murdering my husband, Serra defended me fiercely. I never knew that a Salamence that had lost its ability to fly could be so dangerous. The Night Hawk fled in terror when she realized that she could not triumph over Serra." Ashton looked at Serra and joked, "You always did have a fiery temper. No wonder she was so frightened of you." Everyone present laughed, although Laika simply smirked.

Jessica added, "Also, I am grateful for you disbanding the Black Wing. But did you learn the identity of their leader?" Ashton sighed, "It was Captain Lance. He formed the Black Wing after he resigned from his duty." The queen gasped as she brought a hand to her mouth, "Lance? Why? He was always so loyal to us." Ashton then frowned, "The reason he betrayed Rohta was because of the injustice and cruelty the Pokemon here suffer with every day. He intended to commit genocide on the human population and rebuild the kingdom from the ground up where Pokemon would live as true equals with the humans that see them as such." He then pointed at Jessica and shouted, "Why? You know that Pokemon are people too! Serra proved it when she defended you! Why do you allow this subjugation to continue?"

By now, the queen was in tears as she dropped back into her throne. "Forgive me. I know how the Pokemon you care for so tenderly are suffering. But you must understand, I cannot make it law that Pokemon are equals to humans without proof that they are people too. Until solid proof is uncovered, I cannot make it so without risking mass rebellion among the human population." Ashton sighed, "I…understand. You are right. Unless there was obvious proof, the humans of this kingdom would never accept such a law." Ruby then spoke up, "It's all right. Some proof will surface someday. But why did you want to see Ashton in the first place?"

Jessica wiped away her tears, "Yes, thank you for reminding me. Ashton, is it true that a traveling shinobi from the Far East trained you for a brief time?" The viscount looked up, "Ah, you must mean Master Koga." Jessica nodded, "Yes, him. We received word from him that the emperor of his nation wishes to form an alliance with us and expand trade. I was hoping that you would become our ambassador for this treaty signing. Will you accept?"

Ashton looked back at the girls and asked, "Well? Does a trip to the Far East interest you? I'm not leaving if either of you wish to stay." They began to discuss amongst themselves. Cassandra whispered, "I've heard they have very exotic plant life and architecture. It sounds like fun!" Zandria added, "I've heard they have strange, but delicious food over there. I'd like to add those recipes to my cookbook." Ruby sighed, "I wouldn't mind going back there for a visit. I'm curious of how much my homeland has changed." The ladies discussed the matter for a minute or two before turning towards Ashton. Serenade spoke, "We have decided. We all wish to go along with this mission."

Ashton faced the queen, "I hereby accept my mission. We shall be leaving tomorrow aboard my family's private vessel." Jessica smiled, "Many thanks, dear Ashton. I am also financing the journey, so you need not worry about supplies. Where would you like them delivered?" Ashton replied, "Have them delivered to my front door." This puzzled the queen, "But doesn't that seem a bit far from the harbor? Well, if that is what you prefer, so be it. Your supplies will arrive this evening." Ashton then bowed before taking his leave. "Oh yes, I have one last favor before you go." Jessica called out before Ashton could turn to leave.

"Please take Serra along with you. I know how much you two cared for each other and I'm sure she wishes to make up for lost time." Ashton and Serra looked at each other in surprise. "But isn't Serra supposed to protect you? What if another assassin comes?" The queen giggled, "I have taken precautions to prevent such an event from happening again. This castle is now being secretly patrolled and guarded by shinobi that the emperor of the Far East has stationed here. He is a good man to care so much for my wellbeing, even before the treaty has been signed." Ashton looked very carefully in all directions and could barely make out shrouded guards hiding in the shadows of all the pillars that stood in the hall. "Sneaky and efficient."

Ashton nodded, "I thank you for allowing Serra to join me, your highness. I shall return." He then bowed to the queen and turned to leave with his ninth family member at his side. Serra leaned her head against his side, blushing that they had at long last been reunited. However, Laura could see how attached this Salamence was to Ashton and was already seething jealousy.

That evening, Serra lay in bed in one of the two guestrooms after having eaten some of Zandria's cooking. She never expected to eat such high quality food, even under Ashton's roof. However, her peaceful state of mind was interrupted by a knock at the door. Serra hopped out of bed and walked over to the door before turning the knob with her mouth. Floating just outside the door was Laura.

"Can I help you?" Serra asked the Latias in her native tongue. Laura replied, "I need to talk to you in private." Serra nudged the door shut after Laura floated inside. "Look, I know about your past friendship with Ashton. You and he may be the best of friends, but I need to make something clear with you." Serra cocked her head to one side in confusion. Laura then growled, "Ashton is MINE! Got it? No one will have him but me!"

Serra staggered back at Laura's bold claim, but growled, "Not a chance! Ashton is the only man I have ever loved! I won't let anyone take him away from me! And what's more, he has already chosen me to be his bride someday." Laura gasped, "What? No way!" Serra smirked, "It's true. When he was ten years old, he personally proposed to me. And I accepted." Laura's face went blank for a moment. But she soon sneered, "Even so, that was five years ago! And it still is not legal for humans to marry Pokemon! I still have time to win his heart!" Serra brought her face right up to Laura's and laughed, "HA! I accept your challenge! But I have spent more time with Ashton than you! He will marry me, and that will not change!" Laura replied, "Oh yeah? Well we'll just see about that!" With that, the Latias flew out of the room and down the hall. Serra snorted in confidence, remembering Ashton's proposal to her.

Morning came, and the entire household was waiting outside for Ashton. However, Serenade was not present. Aurora muttered, "I wonder what is taking Ashton and Serenade. Are they still preparing?" Laura sighed, "He must be preparing something special for us. Or maybe a gift for the emperor? Oh, our little Ashy is so thoughtful!" Zandria sounded like she was going to pass out from laughter. Chiara grumbled, "Never call Ashton by pet names. He wouldn't like it." Just then, Ashton shoved the front door open and yelled, "What are you all doing out here? The supplies have been loaded and we're ready to set sail!"

Ruby asked, "What do you mean? We have to go down to the harbor to set sail, right?" Ashton smiled, "Not for this vessel! And besides, the estate is being covered by that magic barrier, so you can't leave anyway. So come. I have something to show you." He then walked back inside. Curious, the eight girls followed, closing the door behind them.

Ashton led the ladies down into the cellar. Ruby spoke, "I haven't been down here since the day you brought me in, Lord Ashton." The viscount stopped next to the wall at the end of the corridor, "Indeed. Now watch closely." He then pressed a stone that was near the bottom of the wall. To their surprise, the wall slid over past the other wall, revealing a secret passage. "Right this way."

Ashton carried a torch as he led the girls down a dark passage. "This has been here ever since the estate was constructed. I happened to stumble across this by looking through my family's records." After about three minutes, the group of eight came to a vast cave that contained a wooden dock like those at the harbor. Light was shining in through a waterfall at the far end of the cave. And docked in front of them was a grand sailing vessel fit for a noble.

"What took you so long, Ashton?" Serenade called while looking down from the back of the stern. Ashton waved up at her, "It seems they knew nothing about our private cruiser! We'll climb aboard in a moment!" He then turned to face the girls, "This is the Flying Duskull. And please do not ask me how it got that name. My grandfather was the one who named it." Aurora chuckled, "Perhaps it got that name because it's 'a terror on the high seas'? It must have a reason." Ashton sighed, "Whatever. We've wasted enough time already. Let us board, shall we?"

Following Ashton up the gangplank, the ladies then worked together to pull it up to the deck and set it aside. Ashton then made his way to the stern and manned the helm. Just then, he laughed, "Of course! Just how am I supposed to pilot us out of here if there's no wind to fill the sails with?" Chiara overheard and replied, "Allow me!" She then flew to the very back of the stern and perched herself there while facing the sails. She then flapped her wings forward, causing the sails to become taut instantly as if filled with a strong gust. Ashton spoke, "Well done. Just don't flap too hard. You'll break the mast if that happens." The midget Lugia replied, "I'm aware of my own strength. I won't overdo it."

As the ship approached the waterfall, Ashton called, "Aurora! Would you mind halting that waterfall so we don't get drenched?" She nodded and focused. The waterfall seemed to disappear for a moment. Once the Flying Duskull had drifted out of the cave, everyone looked up to see a stationary wall of water above them. It came crashing down with a roar once they were out of range.

Chiara continued to direct a steady supply of wind into the sails, keeping the ship moving forward. Ashton then pulled out a map that Koga had left behind for him. "First we head south. Once we pass the Seafoam Isles, we'll head east." Zandria then asked, "Sir, think I should serve up some fish tonight?" Ashton joked, "When out on the high seas, that's all you'll find!" However, when the Flying Duskull passed the Seafoam Isles, a certain Starmie noticed it and sank out of sight after observing it for a moment.

"Captain! Our scout has returned!" A young man called out as the Starmie rode a Surf attack up to the deck. A young woman walked over to the Starmie and kneeled down to it. "So, whatcha find?" The Starmie's crystal flashed green. "A viscount level vessel? Not a bad haul. How many crew?" The crystal flashed ten times in quick succession. "Only ten? This'll be like taking rum from a bloke with two peg legs."

The captain called out, "Listen up, boys! We're changing course! Set a course for the northeast! We've found our first catch of the week!" The sail opened and became filled with a strong ocean breeze, its skull and crossbones design waving in the wind. As the pirate ship set a path for the northeast, the captain giggled, "Just ten crew? Sounds like these landlubbers have never heard of the temptress of the seas. Oh well. They'll learn the name of Captain Black Mist soon enough."


	13. Murder on the High Seas

"Hope ya like sea bass! That's all I caught today!" Zandria called as she started serving out dinner in the mess hall aboard the Flying Duskull. It had been two days since they departed from the Kingdom of Rohta for the Far East on a royal mission. Laura giggled as she snacked on her grilled sea bass, "We almost never eat together like this. Yummy! The food always tastes better when you eat next to me, Ashy!" The viscount spewed his tea across the dinner table. "Laura, please! Don't call me that!" The Latias giggled, "Well why not? Such a cute name should more than suit a cutie like you!" Ashton brought his face down into the table and groaned. Chiara laughed, "I told you he wouldn't like it! Pet names are for pets, not your master!"

After dinner, Ashton made his way up to the deck, the sun setting over the horizon. Once he got there, he noticed Ruby at the bow just staring off into the distance. He casually approached her and asked, "You seem a bit quiet this evening. May I join you?" Ruby turned to face him and smiled, "Yes, please do." He then stood at her side and scanned the horizon. "In a while, we'll be where you were born. Think we'll see any familiar faces there?" Ruby frowned and replied, "I honestly hope not. No one loved me and I was labeled a misfit. You know all about that, don't you?" Ashton sighed, "Ah, yes. I recall what the merchant who gave you to me said."

Ruby continued, "My favorite times of the day were when we were allowed up on the deck. I would just stand at the bow and gaze out at the horizon, wondering when and where my life would take a turn for the better." Ashton then rested a hand on her shoulder, "And then you found me. Do you think your life changed for the better?" Ruby looked up at him with tears in her eyes and smiled, "Yes. I think my life can't get any better now." She then threw her arms around him and held him tightly. Ashton caressed her face, "Now there, you need not cry. You should be enjoying this pleasure cruise." Ruby looked up at Ashton with a grateful stare, "Oh I am, my lord. I am."

That night, Ashton was resting in his cabin while reading over the details of the mission. Laika rested at his feet while Serra too rested near him. Up in the crow's nest, Laura kept watch. "Hmmm…..no icebergs. No pirates. No nothing. I really don't know why I'm acting as the lookout. I think Zandria has better eyes than I do." The Latias grumbled as she floated from one side to the other. But then she suddenly felt a sense of malice. But she could not see very far at all. "Uh oh. That can't be god. Maybe….ah! I know!" She then flew down from the crow's nest and entered the ship.

Ruby was about to turn in for bed in her cabin when there was a knock at the door. When she opened it, Laura floated before her. "Hi, Ruby! Could you come with me for a minute?" The Lucario nodded and followed Laura up to the deck. Once there, the Latias asked, "Ruby, can you sense the Aura of other creatures?" Ruby nodded, "Yes. I haven't done it in a while, but I can." Laura then asked, "Could you search the area for others? I think we're not alone." The Lucario nodded and closed her eyes. Her Aura became visible as she focused. She soon spoke, "There's another ship approaching from the right. There are many occupants. And they seem to be armed."

Laura gulped, "Pirates. Sounds like trouble." She then told Ruby, "Wait at the back of the stern and lie low. I'm going to round up the girls." She then flew back inside as Ruby made her way to the back of the stern. Laura first stopped by the mess hall. "Zandria, we've got trouble!" The Zangoose put down the plate she was cleaning and asked, "What kind of trouble?" The Latias replied, "Pirates." Zandria got an excited twinkle in her eye and snickered, "Pirates, huh? Sounds like fun. I'll be right up." Zandria then ran down the hall while Laura went the other way to spread the word.

It did not take long for the word to spread to the other girls. But as Cassandra made her way up to the deck, she peeked into Ashton's cabin and found Serra and Laika there. She looked up at Ashton, worried that he would get hurt if drawn into the battle. She then nudged the door open and asked, "Laika, Serra. Could you two come with me, please?" The Salamence and Mightyena looked up at Ashton and saw that he was too immersed in his reading. They silently walked out of the cabin and shut the door behind them. It was then that Cassandra revealed to them the imminent pirate threat. Laika growled, "Pirates? Fine. I'll protect the master from them." Serra also nodded in agreement and followed Cassandra up to the deck.

Several minutes passed as a ship pulled up along the starboard side of the Flying Duskull. Many ropes were then lassoed to the railings of both ships, holding them together. But a wave caused the pirate ship to gently bump against the side of the Flying Duskull. In Ashton's quarters, the viscount felt the sudden jolt and looked around. "Did we run aground?" He then walked over to a window and looked outside. To his surprise, all he saw was a wooden wall. Only one thing crossed his mind. "Seems that we have some guests." He then grabbed the Flamberge, which he had hanging from a wall, and made his way down the hall towards the deck.

Up on deck, a number of men crossed over from the pirate ship and boarded the Flying Duskull under the cover of night. One whispered, "Kinda quiet." The one who seemed to be the leader replied, "Aye, but this only has ten crew, so it's only natural. Just be quiet. Don't want to risk damaging the booty." At that instant, a female voice called out, "But that means we can still kick YOUR booties, right?" The pirates looked around in frenzy before the leader lit a match and held it to a torch. Once the deck was being illuminated, the gangs of pirates noticed nine Pokemon looking down at them from the stern near the helm. The Zangoose of the lot shouted, "You picked the wrong vessel to pillage, boys!" With that, all nine leapt from the stern and landed before the pirates.

"One, two, three….what the? Are these whelps nine of the ten crew?" The leader of the pirates yelled as he counted them. Chiara rudely spoke, "What? Is it that hard to count to ten and notice one is missing?" The pirate grumbled, "Just because we be pirates don't mean we're stupid!" But as he drew his cutlass, a young woman's voice shouted, "Stand down, boys!" The pirate removed his hand from the hilt and stepped back, "Uh…aye, Captain."

Aurora gasped as someone walked forward, "Is the captain…a woman?" Standing in front of the pirates was a young woman who seemed to be only slightly older than Ashton. She wore a turquoise blue jacket and high heel boots. On the back of her waist was a short sword. She had orange hair that had a single ponytail at the side, but for some reason stuck straight out without drooping, possibly from being tightly held in place by the ribbon. She asked, "So, nine of the crew are Pokemon? What a motley bunch. But where's the captain?" Before any of the Pokemon could speak up, a voice spoke from behind them, "I'm right here."

Standing behind the nine Pokemon was Ashton, who had snuck through the door leading inside. Laika spoke, "We'll handle this." Ashton shook his head, "No, Laika. Leave these thugs to me." He then pushed his way past them and stood before the captain. "Now then, to what honor do I welcome this unexpected visit?" Ashton asked, but the captain remained silent. A moment passed before Ashton asked, "Well? What do you have to say?" One of the pirates even asked, "Captain? You come down with scurvy or something?" Ashton then noticed a slight trail of drool oozing down her chin. "Er…..are you drunk? Too much rum, perhaps?" At the mention of being drunk, the captain snorted, "Of course not! I'm as sober as a monk in Lent!" Ashton chuckled a little, but also noticed that she was blushing slightly. "Are you sure you're not drunk? You're face is red." The captain then yelled, "Shut up already! I'm not drunk!" The nine Pokemon behind Ashton giggled at the captain's response.

After everyone had stopped laughing, Ashton asked again, "I'll ask again. Who are you? It's not everyday that I encounter a female pirate." The captain smirked, "I am Black Mist, captain of the Perla Celeste. A real beaut, wouldn't ya say so?" She pointed over to the ship that was attached to the side of the Flying Duskull. Ashton nodded, "A fine vessel indeed. She seems as large as my own." He then faced Black Mist, "So then, when do you plan on leaving?" The captain giggled, "Once we're finished loading up the booty within your cargo hold." Ashton then reached for the hilt of the Flamberge on his back, "And if I were to refuse?" The pirates then began to chuckle as they drew their cutlasses. But they stopped when the captain threw up a hand. "Normally, I would order my boys here to storm the place, but I have a better idea." She then gripped the hilt of the sword on her hip and drew it. "You and me. One-on-one. Winner takes all."

There was a low murmur as the pirates conversed among themselves. "Is she serious? She's never done that before!" The captain called out, "All right, boys! Make some room!" In a tizzy, every pirate made their way back over to the Perla Celeste. Laura cried, "Lord Ashton! Let us help you!" But Ashton threw up an arm, "Do not fear. I will win this duel. Now get to the top of the stern." Reluctantly, all nine of them went up to the helm and watched. Ashton noticed the sword that Black Mist was holding. It was unusually thick. (Is it that way to endure heavy hits?) He then drew the Flamberge and held it in his right hand. Black Mist shuddered, (He's holding that with just one hand? Blimey! Well blow me down if he's no Hercules. But even though that sword has great reach…) She then widened her stance and smirked, (My reach is greater still.)

Ashton made the first move. With a wide swing, he lashed out at Black Mist's shoulder. But the wily pirate brought up her sword to block the blow. She then shoved the Flamberge away and made a lunge at him. She took a few swings before Ashton kicked her away. It began to seem that Black Mist could not get near enough to truly make the best of her weapon. But suddenly, she thrust her sword out at Ashton, even though she was about 15 feet away. To everyone's surprise, the blade extended like that of a whip, the tip going straight towards Ashton's face!

"What the hell?" Ashton yelled as he fell backwards to evade the shot, the sword flying just above his face and lightly nicking his nose. He landed with a thud as Black Mist yanked the blade back towards her and draped it over her shoulder. Ashton climbed to his feet and observed the strange weapon that his opponent was holding. Unlike before, it was now much longer and the blade had split into multiple fragments with a strong leather or steel string winding through the center of each. Ashton gulped, "Holy crap, is that a snake sword?" Black Mist giggled, "Sure is. This particular model is the Viper Edge. And it BITES." Ashton shuddered as he looked at it. The blade was an icy blue and had a spike on the back of each section of the sword, now split in half with a half for each fragment.

Ruby turned to Chiara and asked, "Snake sword? What's that?" The Lugia smiled, "You really know who to ask when you have a question. Of course I know. The snake sword is a type of sword that can function as an ordinary sword or can take on the form and function of a chain whip. But due to how difficult it is to use it well without the wielder harming itself, they are somewhat unpopular. But a master of this bizarre weapon can hold their own against virtually any opponent due to the long reach of the snake sword when it is in its whip form." Ruby then looked back towards the deck and spoke, "Then that means Lord Ashton might not win this one!" But Laura shouted, "That's absurd! C'mon, Ashy! Show her that you're the number 1 knight in the kingdom!"

A vein bulged on Ashton's forehead as he turned towards the stern and shouted while shaking his left fist, "For the last fricking time, stop calling me that!" But Black Mist called out, "Never take your eyes off the prize!" Ashton turned around just in time to throw up his blade to block a wide swing from the Viper Edge. But the sword wrapped around the blade and locked in place. Ashton noticed and performed an upward swing, sending Black Mist upwards. When she came down overhead, Ashton nailed her in the gut with an uppercut, causing her to gag.

"You…brute! How dare you hit a girl?" Black Mist wheezed as she hung from her abdomen over Ashton's fist. He replied, "Does it matter? I don't discriminate against my opponents, especially lowlife scum like pirates." He then pulled his arm away quickly and kicked Black Mist away before she could hit the floor. But the Viper Edge came loose in the process. Black Mist climbed to her feet while gripping her stomach, "Ouch…that's pretty good." She then looked ahead at him and smiled while panting, (The harder he fights me, the more I want him.) She then shouted, "Don't disappoint me!"

Black Mist took several swings at Ashton before striking low, wrapping the whip blade around his ankle before tripping him. She then released her hold and tried to bring the whip blade down into his head, but Ashton rolled out of the way and stomped his foot down on it, holding it in place. "Too bad, eh?" But Black Mist giggled, "For you, yeah." With a good yank, she pulled the blade out from under him, nearly tripping Ashton again. "A versatile weapon, I must admit. I never dreamed I would face off against someone who could use a snake sword so efficiently." Ashton applauded. Black Mist blushed, "It takes natural talent, believe me."

The duel continued on for another twenty minutes at the very least, Ashton having the stronger weapon, but Black Mist having the greater length of attack range. The two of them panted in exhaustion. It was then that Black Mist lashed out once more, wrapping the Viper Edge around the Flamberge's blade. With all her might, she pulled the sword out of Ashton's hand. "What? Drat!" Ashton staggered back from the change in inertia. But before he could react, Black Mist lashed out and wrapped the Viper Edge around the viscount's throat! "You're mine now!"

Serenade screamed, "Brother, do something!" But as Ashton reached for the blades around his neck, Black Mist spoke, "Don't even think about it. One good yank of this hilt and your neck will be shredded." Ashton froze in utter horror at the thought. Cassandra felt tears build in her eyes at the thought of her beloved losing his head as his blood spilled across the deck. She screamed at Black Mist, "Don't you dare!" She prepared to leap down towards Ashton from the stern, but Black Mist replied, "Stay back! He's at my mercy now! If any of you try to step in, you can kiss your precious captain goodbye!" At this, all nine of them had tears in their eyes, certain that their beloved was about to meet his end.

Black Mist commanded, "Now then, kneel. And do it slowly." Ashton gulped and slowly lowered himself to his knees while keeping his arms out to his sides. (I can't believe this. How could I be brought to my knees by mere pirates?) Ashton grumbled to himself. As soon as the viscount was at his knees, Black Mist began to walk to wards him. All the while she kept a close eye on Laura and Chiara, making sure they were not using psychic forces to aid him. Their eyes would be glowing if they were. As Black Mist approached Ashton, the blade fragments closest to the hilt began to lock back in place in order to keep the noose around Ashton's neck taut.

Ashton was sweating profusely as he looked up at his executioner. Above them, Ruby clasped her hands together and prayed hard. "Please no. Please no. Please no." Slowly, Black Mist began to bend over towards Ashton. In fear of what was about to occur, Ashton closed his eyes. But he opened them abruptly at the feel of Black Mist placing a kiss on his forehead. All nine of the girls above them watched in stunned silence. Once Black Mist broke the kiss, she smiled gently at him and whispered, "Never before has a man given me such a good fight."

The grip of the Viper Edge released and retracted back to its standard form. Black Mist then called over to her crew, "OK, boys! We've got some new mates! Make sure they feel right at home!" Her right-hand man replied, "Aye, Captain! Look alive, lads! Make 'em feel welcomed!" The pirates began to head inside the Perla Celeste while others seemed to be searching through various cargo boxes that were on the deck. As Ashton stood up, all nine of his servants jumped down to him. "She's one brazen seadog! You OK, Ashton?" Zandria asked. Ashton simply replied, "Um…she sure is. As far as pirates go, they're pretty friendly."

As some pirates began to play music on harmonicas, bongo drums, and a flute, Ashton followed Black Mist up to the stern of the Perla Celeste. Ashton asked, "Perla Celeste means 'Celestial Pearl', does it not?" Black Mist nodded, "Sure does. And she's a real beaut. Never seen a ship as sleek and fast as her." Ashton joked, "So that's how you caught up with us." Black Mist let out a laugh, but soon noticed Laika at Ashton's side. "Didn't notice ya there. What's your name?" Laika muttered, "I protect the master." Ashton added, "Don't mind her if she seems quiet. Her name is Laika."

A short while later, Serenade passed by Ashton quarters while he rested inside. She then noticed Black Mist coming down the hall towards her. She spoke, "Don't mind me. Just coming through." Serenade replied, "Oh that's quite all right." But as they passed, Black Mist's hand brushed against Serenade's fingers. As soon as they touched, Serenade stopped cold. Without the two red horns that Gardevoir are known to have, she could not sense emotions and intentions from afar, but could still sense them by touch. And there was only one thing going through Black Mist's mind at the time. (Lust.) As if to confirm this, Serenade heard the door to Ashton's cabin close behind her. "Oh no!"

Ashton looked ahead from his reading chair next to an oil lamp. "Ah, good evening Black Mist. May I help you?" The pirate smirked, "Actually, yes. Come here for a sec." Curious, Ashton put down his book and walked over to her. "So, what can I do for you?" Black Mist then placed her hands on his shoulders and smiled with an amorous gaze, "I just need you to let me take you." She then threw him towards his bed, causing him to fall backwards onto it.

Ashton groaned, "What the? What's wrong with…urk!" He stopped short when Black Mist pinned him down by kneeling on his abdomen. Serenade was peeking through the keyhole to the cabin and gasped, "Oh no…what should I do?" Black Mist blushed deeply, "You're the only man who has ever been my equal in battle. You are the perfect match for me." She then removed her jacket, revealing her large breasts. Ashton froze as he blushed a deep red. (They…..they're just as large as my mother's!)

Black Mist then began to slide off her pants, but Ashton grabbed her leg and pleaded, "No, wait! This is too…er…sudden! I'm not ready for this! I'm only 15!" Black Mist merely smirked and replied, "So? I'm only 18." Ashton gulped, "Well…what I mean is…I'm…" Black Mist giggled and stroked his face, "I always loved shy men. You're exactly my type." Ashton shivered as he began to sweat nervously, (Oh crap, I'm only making things worse!)

Black Mist began to reach for Ashton groin area as she felt a slight erection bump her knee. Ashton was on the verge of panic as he finally shouted, "STOP!" This startled Black Mist as she asked, "What? Don't you like what you see?" Ashton panted, "It's not that. It's just…I…how do I put this?" Black Mist asked, "Is there someone else?" Serenade felt her heart leap at this. (Could it be? Is Ashton resisting her because he has already chosen one of us?)

Ashton sighed, "I really do believe that you and I can become husband and wife someday, but not now. It's just too soon. Please, give me some time. When I have fallen for you, if ever, I'll seek you out." Black Mist chuckled, "If ever indeed. I get it. You're still undecided. No worries. If a little time is what you need, then I won't deny it to you. You handsome stud." Black Mist then climbed off Ashton and put her jacket back on. Outside the door, Serenade breathed a sigh of relief, (I can still win him over. I hope.)

As Black Mist buttoned her jacket, she asked, "Now that I think about it, where were you heading?" Ashton replied, "We were on our way to the Far East. I'm on a mission for the queen herself." Black Mist grinned, "In that case, I hope you don't mind if I escort you. We're not the only pirates on the high seas, you know." Ashton nodded, "That would be much appreciated. I'll see you in the morning." Black Mist waved at him with a wink thrown in, followed by a yawn as it was very late.

Just after Black Mist left his cabin, Ashton heard the door creak open and saw Laika come in. She gave him her usual cold gaze. Ashton sighed, "You don't always have to look so angry." Laika shrugged her shoulders and bounded up to Ashton's bed. But he surprised her by pulling her up to him. "Sir…what are you doing?" Ashton whispered, "I want you to understand that you are not alone. I love you. I love each of you and will never allow anyone to take you away from me."

Ashton held Laika very tenderly for a moment, but soon felt her tremble. "Laika?" The Mightyena faced him and buried her face into his chest while sobbing silently. Ashton caressed her head, "Shhh… I know it hurts. I can't even imagine the hell your life was before we met. But please understand. Your life of suffering has ended. I want your life to be filled with joy from now on." The Mightyena calmed down slightly at his words, her sobbing slowing and her trebling stopping entirely.

Ashton brought a hand under Laika's chin and raised her face to his. "Tell me. Are you happy now?" The Mightyena gave Ashton a very rare smile and whispered a single word. "Yes." She then pressed her head against him again. "Laika. There is no one here to harm me. Please sleep tonight. You need it…eh?" Ashton felt Laika's chest rise and fall every two seconds and her eyes were closed. "Wow. She really was tired." Ashton then tucked her snuggled into bed next to him. The bed was quite large and could contain all ten of them if necessary.

Ashton prepared to turn in for the night, but he was once again interrupted when he heard the door shut. This time it was Serra. Seeing his old friend brought a smile to Ashton's face. Ashton patted a space next to him. Serra nodded and walked towards him. With a quick bound, she jumped up next to Ashton and lied down next to him. She then gave him a gentle lick on the face.

As Ashton reached to turn off the oil lamp, he asked, "Serra, do you remember our vow?" As the room turned dark, the Salamence thought back a bit, trying to recall what he was referring to. Ashton then spoke, "Your proposal to me." Serra recalled right then, but sighed, knowing that Ashton was too young to fully grasp the concept of marriage. But Ashton caressed her face, "I have not forgotten. I'll admit that I was too naïve then to understand, but I eventually came to realize what it means to be husband and wife. Serra, I still wish to follow through with my promise."

Serra let out a gasp as she heard what Ashton just told her. He still loved her enough to marry her? He embraced her, "Once the queen decrees the equality of Pokemon and humans, we will get married. Is that what you want?" The Salamence sighed and folded her wings over him in an embrace of her own. Ashton whispered, "I love you, Serra." He then pulled the blanket over them before falling asleep in his fiancé's embrace.

Over the next few days, Ashton and his entourage enjoyed the company of Black Mist's crew. They were a very jolly bunch and gave them live entertainment every night, although Ashton made sure to stay away from the rum. The same could not be said for Black Mist as she would frequently get drunk, only to strip her clothes off and try to put the moves on Ashton. It would take the whole group of nine Pokemon to keep her away from him whenever that happened..

Sometime in the afternoon, Ashton came up on deck to get some fresh air. "Ahoy, Ashton! No signs of trouble today!" The lookout in the Perla Celeste's crow's nest called down to him. In order to make sure that the faster pirate vessel would not cruise off and leave the Flying Duskull behind, they had left the two ships tied together. Soon Ruby came up on deck.

Ashton turned to face his friend and waved, "Good day, Ruby. Oh?" He noticed a worried look on her face. He asked, "Something wrong?" She replied, "I tried searching around us for other Aura, and I sensed a lot of them coming from ahead. Or rather, they're just standing there. It's like they're waiting for us." Ashton grumbled to himself and spoke, "Ruby, go fetch the other ladies. I think this might be a serious threat." Ruby nodded and went back inside to round up the others.

Ashton went back inside as well and fetched the Flamberge from his cabin. When he went back up on deck, he went to the front of the bow and scanned the horizon. After a moment, he turned towards the lookout and called, "I have a hunch that we're in for some rough times. Let the rest of the crew know to come out on deck." The lookout replied, "Aye!" He then slid down a rope with a pulley and ran inside. A few minutes passed before the entire crew was out on deck.

Black Mist walked over to Ashton and asked, "So, what's happening?" Ashton replied, "I have reason to believe that we're in for a fight." Right when he said that, a small figure was spotted ahead. As they approached it, the nine Pokemon of Ashton's entourage came up on deck. Ruby shouted, "There! I can sense dozens…..no! HUNDREDS of Auras there!" Black Mist looked at Ruby with a look of panic. "Did you…say HUNDREDS?" Ruby nodded. Black Mist groaned, "That scum's found us! C'mon, boys! Ready the cannons!"

The two ships began to turn sideways so the cannons of the Perla Celeste could face the target. It seemed to be no larger than a typical merchant vessel. But before the cannons could fire, something began to happen. It seemed as if a massive whale was rising up under it! After a moment, everyone stood aghast at the sight before them. What they had presumed to be a ship was in fact the very top of a truly massive sea vessel! It was the size of a large whale! And if that was not bad enough, a row of cannons adorned each side. Black Mist groaned, "Archibald. Never thought he'd catch up to us."

Before long, a man came out from a hatch at the base of the structure that was on top of the rest of the ship. He wore a blue bandanna over his head and an eye patch over his left eye. He wore black pants and boots and a black jacket that opened halfway up, revealing his muscled chest. He also had a stubby black beard adorning his broad face. There seemed to be a long falchion at his side. He called out, "Black Mist, it's been a while. And I see you brought along some new friends."

Black Mist shouted, "You scum, Archibald! You are a total disgrace to seamen everywhere!" Ashton then asked, "Just who is he? A rival of yours?" Black Mist growled, "He's the captain of the ship before you. It's known as the Leviathan. You won't find another bloke more heartless than him. When he captures a ship, no matter if the crew resists or surrenders, he has them all slaughtered before sinking it after removing the cargo." Aurora cringed, "Such brutality. This man is truly the scourge of the sea."

Archibald pointed towards the two ships before him and shouted, "Open fire!" But after a moment of silence, he yelled, "What's wrong? FIRE!" A crewman called out through the hatch, "Captain, we have no cannon on the front side!" Archibald brought a hand to his face. "Fine then. In fact, this is very convenient." He then called back to the crewman, "Release it!" The crewman ducked back inside and closed the hatch behind him.

Cassandra tilted her head and asked, "What do you suppose he was referring to when he said to release something?" Black Mist gulped, "Crap… I thought it was just a legend…" Ashton then asked, "Well what is it?" Black Mist shuddered, "Wait and see. We're about to find out."

Unbeknownst to them, a compartment underneath the surface of the ocean opened at the front of the Leviathan. A pair of eyes glowed a cruel red as it swam out and began to surface. With its two large fins that resembled wings, it rose up upon an updraft of water vapor, giving it the appearance that it was flying. As soon as it floated in front of the three ships, Archibald shouted, "Behold! My ultimate weapon!"

Chiara was the first to speak. "That…it can't be! Kyogre?" Ashton gasped, "Impossible! Kyogre only appears in legend! There's no way that a mere mortal can be in control of it!" Archibald then laughed, "Well the, if you need convincing, allow me!" He then pointed towards the two ships. "Kyogre! Send these fools to the bottom of the sea!"

The Kyogre began to gather cold energy for a Sheer Cold attack. Chiara screamed, "Get behind me!" She then flew in front of the two ships and hovered in place. As soon as Kyogre launched the deadly Ice type blast, Chiara projected a massive barrier before her. The Sheer Cold attack crept over the barrier, forming a spectacular dome of ice, which collapsed into the sea when Chiara dispelled the barrier. "We Lugia are known as the "Guardians of the Sea". I will not allow you to harm my family as long as they float upon my domain!"

Chiara began to gather what seemed to be a deep breath as the Kyogre seemed to be preparing a Hydro Pump. "Begone!" The midget Lugia screamed as she sent a potent Aeroblast at the Kyogre. Even though the attack struck the Hydro Pump, the wind-based blast blew right through it and struck the Kyogre in the forehead, pushing it downwards with a powerful shockwave. But it soon floated back up to its previous height above the ocean. Chiara gasped, "Does it not feel pain? In fact, judging by that blank expression, it doesn't feel anything at all!"

Archibald pointed towards the Lugia, "End this. Skewer it and the entire crew!" At this command, a number of thin pillars of water rose up around the Kyogre. They then soon solidified into many Icicle Spears. Chiara once again created a large barrier before her, but when the Icicle Spears struck, their streamlined form and sheer force of impact shattered the barrier!

"No! I must…ARGH!" Chiara screamed as a Hyper Beam nailed her in the chest, as the Kyogre's mouth was not occupied for the Icicle Spear barrage. The Lugia went flying into the stern of the Perla Celeste as the Icicle Spears crashed into the hulls of both ships. The pirates hit the deck to evade the higher shots. Ashton turned towards Chiara and shouted, "Chiara! Just hold on!" But as he was about to run towards her, Ruby shouted, "Lord Ashton! Behind you!"

At Ruby's words, Ashton turned around. His face became filled with utter terror as an Icicle Spear was barreling directly towards his face! Time seemed to move in slow motion as there was no time for Ashton to evade it. He closed his eyes as the distance narrowed. But at the last second, something or someone slammed into Ashton at the side, knocking him down. There was a sickening sound of flesh being torn followed by a number of thuds as the creature was knocked backwards along the deck.

Ashton stayed still for a moment and opened his eyes. He looked around in a panic as he tried to figure out who had saved him. But when he looked towards the stern, his heart stopped at the sight of his beloved Serra impaled on a thick Icicle Spear, her blood oozing across the deck. "SERRA!" He dashed over to her and fell to his knees, his eight other servants gathering around him.

"Serra, look at me!" Ashton pleaded as he held the Salamence's face in his hands. Her eyes opened slowly and she gazed up at him. "Thank God… I thought I lost you…" The Salamence tenderly raised a foreleg to his chest. Ashton took it in both hands and spoke as tears flowed down his face, "You saved me. I am in your debt. Just rest for now. Serenade will tend to your wounds and…" Ashton stopped speaking as she placed a sweet kiss on his lips. Where Laura would have been filled with jealousy, she was now filled with pity. She could tell that this was Serra's way of saying goodbye.

Serra's body fell limp once she broke the kiss, her eyes casting one final gaze of love upon her fiancé before they closed forever. Ashton pleaded, "No, stay awake! You're not going to die here! Do you hear me? You're going to be fine! I promised that we would be together forever! Wake up! Wake up!" Ashton screamed as he shook her frantically. Steadily, the truth began to sink in. There was a solemn silence as the crew of both the Flying Duskull and the Perla Celeste honored Serra's final moments with her fiancé.

Ashton shuddered as tears cascaded down his face. "Serra…?" He gently stroked her face, but felt no life. He fell forward over her and let out a wail of rage and loss, having failed to protect the woman he loved. "WHHHHHYYYYYYY!" The sky began to turn stormy and dark as lightning streaked through the clouds. Flames began to climb over Ashton's body as he trembled uncontrollably. His eyes, still pouring tears, were now filled with rage and hatred on levels that even Serenade had never witnessed before. Archibald had stolen the woman Ashton had vowed to spend the rest of his life with. And soon, the Vulcan Warrior would have his revenge.


	14. Revenge and Loss

Dark storm clouds flashed with lightning over the ocean as a sense of tension descended upon the three ships. Archibald looked on in curiosity at the sight ahead of him. Ashton was becoming covered in flames, yet did not seem to be in pain. "It feels like a storm's approaching. But not the likes of any storm I've ever weathered."

Ashton wailed as he clutched Serra's corpse, "HOW COULD THEY? WHAT RIGHT DID THEY HAVE?" The flames that had crept over his body began to blaze intensely, but did not seem to affect the deck or Serra's body. "SERRRAAA!" The viscount screamed in rage and loss as he held the body of his fiancé in his arms, who had died while defending from a fatal attack. A pair of large rainbow wings of fire emerged from his back.

Serenade shuddered in horror at the sight of Ashton's most fearsome power manifesting itself once again. "No…no, not again!" Black Mist yelled, "What the devil's going on here? What is this guy?" Aurora replied as she endured the waves of hot air that were being blown from the flames. "Do you know of the Vulcan Warrior?" The pirate captain replied, "Kinda…..wait. Are you saying he…?" The Suicune nodded, "Yes. Ashton is the Vulcan Warrior, slayer of the Night Hawk and the man who destroyed the Black Wing." Black Mist slowly looked back towards the furious knight. "No way… That guy…is HIM?"

Ashton slowly turned around and glared towards the Leviathan and the Kyogre that floated before it on water vapors. Despite being well over 1,000 yards away, Archibald felt cold sweat trickle down his face. He felt as if he was staring into Ashton's eyes from just a few inches away. And they spoke very clearly. "I'm going to kill you and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

Ashton raised his face to the sky and screamed, ropes of fire lashing out all over the place and igniting a few spots on both the Flying Duskull and the Perla Celeste. His rainbow wings opened wide as he lowered his gaze to the Kyogre that floated before him. In a blink of an eye, Ashton soared right up in front of the Kyogre with a raised fist. Then, with one blow, he sent the Sea Basin Pokemon smashing through the front of the bow of the Leviathan! There was a mighty crash as it went barreling through the hull, well over 2,000 feet, and out the other side at the back of the stern! The Kyogre skipped across the ocean for a moment before stopping itself. Not the least bit satisfied, Ashton soared through the opening in the hull and past hundreds of frightened crew members as he chased after his prey.

Archibald shouted, "Fire at will! Do whatever it takes to bring him down, Kyogre!" This was the captain's signal for the Pokemon to fight however it saw fit. It replied to this by sending a Hydro Pump towards Ashton as he emerged from the hole in the back of the stern. But as the water struck him, Ashton's shroud of flames surged with such intensity that the Hydro Pump was reduced to steam! "STRUGGLE ALL YOU WANT! IT'S NO USE!" Ashton screamed as he passed right through the torrent as if it was not even there. He slammed into the Kyogre with a kick to the chin, but he looked up in surprise to see a sphere of orange energy forming! (Does it not feel pain?) Knowing that his flames would not endure a Hyper Beam, Ashton flew away from the Kyogre.

The Pokemon fired the Hyper Beam at the fleeing viscount, but Ashton spiraled out of the way at the last second, even without looking over his shoulder. He flew sideways just inches above the sea. The Kyogre sent a flurry of Icicle Spears at Ashton as he closed in on it. He dodged and rolled to evade the barrage and was on the verge of reaching the Kyogre when a tidal wave rose up before him! "What the…Surf?" Ashton could not fall back quick enough and was crushed underneath the massive wave.

Aurora and Chiara rested to catch their breaths after using Water type attacks to put out the flames that had spread to the ships. Meanwhile, Black Mist and the other six girls watched from the bow of the Flying Duskull. Laura screamed, "ASHY, NOOOO! DON'T DROWN NOW!" Cassandra prayed, "You can't die now… You just can't…" Laika gritted her teeth and whispered, "Don't die on us now….."

Ashton sank beneath the waves, dazed from the force of the impact. "No….not yet! Not until I avenge her!" Ashton's burning wings spread open and began to flap, propelling him like a pair of fins. He then went into a spiral as he neared the surface. "A human can't take on a monster like that. Only another Pokemon of legend can handle the job!" Ashton prepared himself as he neared the surface.

Ruby gasped as she saw an orange color fill the sea near where Ashton had gone down. "Wha…what's that?" Zandria clenched a fist, "Yeah! No way would he've stayed down!" But to everyone's shock, a towering vortex of flames shot up from the ocean and into the sky. Serenade shuddered, "A waterspout of fire? This…this is beyond anything the likes I've ever seen. Even when our parents were attacked, he's never shown this kind of rage." But inside of the vortex, Ashton made three hand signs and shouted, "TRANSFORM!"

Streams of fire began to jut out of the vortex, each a different color. A moment later, something emerged from the very top of the vortex and took a nosedive towards the sea while being enshrouded in flames. The form seemed to be a large avian creature. But just before striking the ocean, the creature changed course and veered towards the Kyogre, its flames being blown off. There was an audible gasp as everyone who was witnessing the battle observed the creature that was charging the Kyogre. Black Mist yelled, "What the hell? That's not Ashton!" But Aurora, being a Suicune and having distant connections with the creature, whispered, "Ho-oh?"

To the shock of everyone that was witnessing the battle; the Kyogre was not facing off against Ashton now, but a Ho-oh! The phoenix soared across the sea with eyes filled with rage. Not the least bit phased, the Kyogre fired a potent Ice Beam at him. The Ho-oh let out an earsplitting screech as a massive Fire Blast was fired from its beak, overwhelming the Ice Beam and scorching the Sea Basin Pokemon. While the Kyogre was stunned, the Ho-oh screamed in a familiar voice, "WHY WON'T YOU DIE?" It then became engulfed in flames and soared by the Kyogre while slicing it with a Sky Attack! It then rose up into the sky and hovered in place, frustrated by the lack of damage it was inflicting.

Ashton growled as he realized that this Kyogre did not seem capable of feeling pain. "Is it brain-dead?" Just then, pillars of water shot up at him in the form of a Water Spout! Ashton was not able to escape all of them and was knocked out of the sky. But as he fell back towards the sea, he decided to cancel his transformation and was engulfed in a sudden puff of smoke. Once he fell out of the cloud, he sent a rope of fire from his right hand towards the Flying Duskull.

"Oh man, that's coming right for us!" Zandria yelled as the massively long rope of flames reached towards them. But it only grabbed the hilt of the Flamberge, which had fallen where Ashton had been knocked down by Serra. With an upward flick, the zweihander went spinning through the air towards the two dueling masters of water and fire. Just before Ashton hit the water, he spread his wings and swooped toward the Kyogre. He then intercepted the Flamberge just before it could hit the ocean. The Kyogre once again sent a flurry of Icicle Spears towards Ashton. However, the enraged warrior dodged what he could and shattered what he could not evade with the Flamberge.

Ashton swooped just below the Kyogre's face and sent it upwards with a mighty underhand swing of his massive blade. With a mighty flap of his wings, he pursued the Kyogre. Once he was eye level with it, Ashton began to slice and dice away with his weapon, intense flames heading every which way with each swing. The heat of the flames could be felt as if the sea around the three ships had become a desert. After a moment of nonstop slashing, Ashton slammed his blade into the head of the Kyogre with both hands, sending them plummeting into the ocean below.

The two combatants hit the water with a huge splash, but the Kyogre quickly resurfaced, many cuts adorning its flesh. But by this time, Ashton was both furious and baffled. "No blood? What the hell?" He then sent the Kyogre upwards once again with an underhand swing, but just after that Ashton placed the Flamberge on his back. "Let's see just how much blood is in that heartless shell of yours!"

Ashton reached out with his hand and sent a rope of fire towards the Kyogre. Once it touched the Sea Basin Pokemon, the rope of fire wrapped itself around it. But the creature struggled and tried to extinguish the flames. Ashton then held out his other hand and wrapped another rope of fire around the creature. Serenade covered her mouth in horror, "No, not again!" Ashton then closed both hands. "Crimson Blossom!"

In a split-second, the Kyogre was engulfed in a massive cataclysm of fire as bits and pieces of ashes fell from the sky. But Serenade noticed something different. "Strange… It doesn't look the way it should. Something's missing." Chiara then added, "You mean the proverbial 'Blossom'? The petals are made of burning blood. But if there's no petals…"

Ashton watched in confusion as the Kyogre was reduced to ashes. "Something doesn't add up. Where's the blood?" He then noticed a piece of the Kyogre falling towards him and caught it. It was the left eye and the area of skin around it. As the fire consumed it, it crumbled into a small pile of dirt. Ashton closed his hand and crushed whatever remained. "It was just a lifeless golem? That type of magic is the most forbidden in the world!" But after he said that, Archibald shouted, "All port cannons, open fire!"

Ashton turned just in time to see every cannon on the port side of the Leviathan roar with cannonballs, as his battle with the Kyogre golem had drawn him over there. "I'm not done with you yet!" Ashton then swooped towards the Leviathan, cannonballs exploding around him. At one point he nearly ran into one, but split it in two with one clean stroke of the Flamberge. Once he was close enough, Ashton flew upwards and out of reach of the cannons. After placing the Flamberge on his back again, Ashton growled, "It's time that I send this flotsam to the bottom of the sea!"

Archibald strained his eyes as he searched the dark clouds above him. "Where'd that landlubber go? I can't scuttle his vessel until he's dead!" Just then, a fiery glow lit up the clouds. At that moment, a scream was heard, "PHOENIX MAELSTROM!" At that, Archibald looked around and noticed at the last second a massive spinning arrowhead of flames diving towards him! "No…get away!" Archibald panicked and made a run for the center structure atop the main body of the Leviathan. But just before he reached it, the captain looked up and froze with utter terror in his eyes as the Vulcan Warrior went spiraling towards him.

The instant after striking Archibald, the Phoenix Maelstrom struck the Leviathan itself. There was a deafening crash as the entire ship was split in two, the bow and stern angling upwards from the impact at the center. But when the rapidly rotating Phoenix Maelstrom struck the ocean after crashing through the bottom of the hull, a whirlpool began to form, sucking the two severed halves of the Leviathan and all her crew into it. Worse, the Perla Celeste and Flying Duskull were starting to be drawn into it as well. "Chiara, we must stop this!" Aurora shouted as she focused, trying to keep the water that the two ships were floating on from being drawn into the vortex. Chiara nodded and her eyes began to glow a light blue. Over the course of three minutes, the whirlpool steadily shrank. Before long, the Leviathan was gone, taking with her the most hated pirate crew in the world. But Chiara looked around over the side, "He's not coming up!" She then dove into the ocean with a look of panic in her eyes.

As Ashton sank with the wreck of the Leviathan, he asked in his mind, "Serra…..did I do enough? Was I…able to avenge your death? I knew this would not bring you back…but it had to be done…" The viscount slowly drifted into unconsciousness as the form of a Lugia swam towards him.

"Easy now… He needs to rest. He's still weak from lack of oxygen." Ashton's eyelids twitched as Serenade spoke while looking over him. When he looked upwards, he saw that the moon now adorned the sky. "Serenade… Where am I?" Although surprised to find her brother awake, she replied, "You're on the deck of the Flying Duskull. Just try not to overexert yourself. That was quite a duel you had." Ashton sat up and sighed, "That's right. Somehow…..I sank the Leviathan because….." He then looked towards the stern. Serra's corpse lied right where he left it.

Ashton struggled to his legs, the Flamberge falling from his back. Serenade spoke, "No, Ashton! You're not strong enough to walk yet!" But the viscount groaned, "Don't bother me now." He then staggered over to Serra's body and dropped to his knees. Slowly, he removed the Icicle Spear from her body, even though it had mostly melted by now. He stared at her as everyone watched. Then he whispered, tears flowing from his eyes, "I avenged your death…..but my heart still feels empty…"

The viscount gently took the Salamence's head into his arms and wept. "Why? Why did you throw your life away for me? It should've been me! I should've been the one to die. I deserve it! I deserve it like all other humans do!" Black Mist walked over to Ashton and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Ashton…you going to be OK?" The viscount replied, "I'm sorry, but I need to ask you all to let me be for a while." The pirate captain sighed and raised a hand, "You heard him, boys. Give him some room." The crew replied, "Aye, Captain." They all began to head below deck while Black Mist walked over to the eight Pokemon servants. "That means you girls too." She then followed her crew below deck.

Cassandra sighed, "I don't want to leave him alone when he's so upset, but if he commands it…" The Absol then turned and headed inside the Flying Duskull, followed by six of the other girls. However, Laika remained. She walked over to Ashton and stood behind him. After a moment, the viscount spoke, "Leave me alone, Laika." But the Mightyena replied, "I must guard you at all times. I can't leave you." Ashton then said, "Just this once. I need to be absolutely alone right now. Please leave me."

Laika continued to stay behind Ashton, even after he commanded her to leave him alone. Ashton spoke, a hint of irritation in his voice, "Laika, don't force me to make you leave me alone." The Mightyena then coldly replied, "It's my duty. I must stay by your side. No matter what. I don't allow emotions to interfere with my objective. I must…" Laika stopped when Ashton turned and stared at her with a great deal of anger in his eyes, "And that's the problem! Your heart is like a stone! You can't understand the pain I'm going through because you can't love anyone! You don't care about how others feel! You'll never know what it's like to lose the love of your life! Now begone!" At this outburst, Laika eyes began to fill with tears and her body trembled. The normally cold and silent Mightyena turned and ran inside the Flying Duskull.

Ashton held Serra's body tightly against him and sobbed, "It shouldn't be this way… You deserved to live more than I do. Why must you leave me?" Out of nowhere, a voice replied, "I died for you because I love you." Ashton looked around frantically. Just then, everything went black. "What is this? Why can't I see anything?" A moment later, a holy light appeared before Ashton. And standing in that light was what appeared to be a humanoid female Salamence. But unlike a typical Salamence, her wings were covered in white feathers instead of red scales. She was also clothed in a white tunic. Ashton spoke, "S…Serra?"

The angelic Salamence before Ashton smiled, "Yes, dear Ashton. It is I. Serra." Ashton gave her a relieved smile, "You look so beautiful… I don't know what happened, but I can't describe how elated I am that you're still here!" However, she raised a hand and said, "No. I am already dead. What you see before you is my soul. I do not have long before I ascend into Heaven." Ashton then screamed, "Why? Why must you leave me again?" He continued to weep, "Every day that went by since we departed at the castle gates, I wondered when we would meet again. And finally, after five long years, we were reunited. But it's been less than a week! Why must you leave so soon?" Ashton fell to his hands, "I loved you! Why must you leave me when we vowed to spend the rest of our lives together?"

Serra walked over to Ashton and kneeled before him. She caressed his face, "It pains me as well that we must now part ways, but I have one final request to ask." Ashton nodded, "Name it, and it will be done." She then spoke, "I want you to go on with your life. Find love anew. I want you to find another true love and to raise a family with her. Don't wallow in misery forever just because I'm gone. We will meet again someday." Ashton asked, "Why would you want me to find love with someone else?" She then smiled, "I want you to succeed and be happy because I love you. It pains me to see you in so much pain." Ashton sobbed again, but nodded, "Very well. I will never forget our love, but I will seek out love anew. Someday I will marry, but it will be out of love, not just because you wanted me to."

Serra held Ashton in a tender embrace and pressed her lips against his. Even though her mouth was now occupied, her voice spoke, "I love you, Ashton. Don't dwell on the past forever. Move forward and embrace the future. Farewell, my love." As she spoke, her body began to fade away in a pillar of heavenly light. Once she vanished, Ashton found himself on the deck of the Flying Duskull. He wiped his tears away and whispered, "Goodbye, Serra. And thank you."

Ashton carried Serra's body down to the mess hall and found Zandria with a plate of fried calamari waiting for him. "Feeling better, Ashton? You must be hungry. Eat up. Just caught this squid a few hours ago." Ashton sighed, "Thanks. But do you have space in the cold storage compartment?" Zandria nodded, "What? For her? Sure. Cassandra just finished freezing it up too." She then led Ashton over to a large chamber that was filled with ice. "This will keep her preserved until we get back home." He then laid Serra's corpse down inside and closed the chamber. He then took a seat and began to enjoy his calamari. "I never was very fond of squid, but you can make anything taste good, Zandria." The Zangoose chuckled, "Anything to put a smile on your face."

After finishing dinner, Ashton made his way up to his cabin. But when he tried to open it, he found that it was locked. "Locked? I don't recall locking it when I left it." He then pressed his ear to the door and listened. He could hear what sounded like crying. He knocked, "Whoever is in there, open this door. It's my cabin, you know." There was no response. "Look, if you don't unlock this door right now, I'll have no choice but to break the door down." After a moment of no reply, Ashton cracked his knuckles and said, "Fine. Here goes!" He took a step back and rammed his shoulder into the door. After a few more tries, the door flew open. But what Ashton saw surprised him. "Laika?"

Lying on Ashton's bed was Laika. But what was truly shocking was that she had her face buried in a pillow while crying her eyes out. Ashton sighed, knowing that it must have been something he said, and took a seat next to her. He rested a hand on her back, "Laika, why are you crying? I've never seen you like this." The Mightyena looked up and back at him, her eyes swollen from all the crying she had been doing. "It's OK. Tell me what has hurt you so."

Laika sobbed, "You were right about one thing. My heart is a heart of stone. All the pain I had to put up with every day of my life killed my emotions. All I ever knew was hatred. It's hard for me to show emotions when all I ever felt in the past was anger and pain. All of these pleasant emotions are new to me. And you're right about another thing. I can't understand the pain of losing the love of your life because I have never lost anyone I cared for. But I am capable of love! I just can't show it very well. It's who I am!" Ashton then asked, "If that's so, is there someone you love?" The albino Mightyena nodded. "Then who do you love?" She spoke, "I love you."

Ashton sighed as he heard Laika speak those three special words. "And not just you. I care for the other seven too. Especially Ruby. She's someone I have no trouble opening up to. They are the first real family I've ever had. I don't even want to think about what I would do if I lost them or you." Ashton silently took Laika into his arms and held her tightly. "I'm sorry if what I said hurt you. The pain of losing someone who was your best friend in childhood can make you feel helpless and angry at yourself. If I seemed angry, it was towards me, not you."

Ashton whispered to Laika, "Are you feeling better?" She sniffed, "Yes. I feel much better now." Ashton then asked, "Laika, may I ask a favor of you?" The Mightyena looked up at him, "Sure." He then spoke, "I want to see you smile. Please smile at me at least once a day from now on. You don't have to start a conversation. Just smile for me." Laika sighed and tried to follow through with his request. After a moment of trying, Laika looked up at Ashton with a slightly awkward, yet genuine smile. Ashton nodded, "Very beautiful." Laika raised a paw to her face and blushed, but Ashton grabbed her paw and shook his head, "No. A thing of such beauty should never be hidden." She shed another tear, but out of joy. Ashton chuckled, "Shedding all those tears must've dried you out. Head on down to the mess hall and get some water. Can't use the ocean, you know." Laika nodded and hopped down from the bed. She then ran out the door and down the hall.

Ashton walked over to the door and checked the damage from barging through it. As far as he could tell, the damage was very minor, almost nonexistent. "That was close. Almost thought I wouldn't have any privacy for the rest of the voyage." Just then, Laura peeked in. "Lord Ashton?" The viscount looked up and spoke, "Ah, Laura. Why the long face? It's not like you to look so depressed." The Latias sighed, "I know. But even I can't stay in high spirits after seeing a companion die." Ashton sighed, "I know. But is there something you wish to ask me?" She nodded, "Yes. But please don't tell anyone I brought this up." Ashton nodded and closed the door behind them and locked it.

Laura began, "Serra… Back home, she told me that you had proposed to her and that she had accepted. Is this true?" Ashton bowed his head and turned around. "It is true. I was too young at the time to fully understand the concept of a marriage, but when I became old enough and read about it, I chose to go through with my vow. Once the queen decreed the equality of Pokemon and humans, we were to get married." Laura felt tears building in her eyes, (So it's true.) But Ashton turned to face her, "However, I spoke with her just before she went on to Heaven. It may have been a vision…..no. I know it was her. Serra. She told me that she wanted me to move on with my life. To find love anew. She may be gone forever, but I will press on and find a new love. Someday I will get married to a woman I truly love."

Laura breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad. I really hope you find the right girl someday. Is there anything I can do for you, my lord?" Ashton shook his head, "No. I just need to wait for Laika to return and then I'll be heading off to bed." Laura smiled, "OK. Please try to cheer up at least, Ashy." As she left the room, Ashton grumbled, "Where in the world did she come up with that nickname anyway?" But just outside the door, Laura closed her eyes, "Serra, I know the kind of love you felt towards Ashton all too well. I promise that when we marry, I'll make him happy like you intended too. Rest peacefully. Your love for him lives on in me."

Over the course of 40 days, the Flying Duskull and the Perla Celeste continued on towards the Far East. Ashton was still a bit quiet with mourning from the loss of his beloved Serra, but all eight of his servants did everything they could to cheer him up. Even Black Mist did what she could to lighten his mood. And every night before bed, Laika would stay true to her promise and smile for Ashton.

"Captain Ashton? Hey! Wake up!" A pirate of the Perla Celeste pounded on his door. Ashton groaned, "What the devil is it? It's barely dawn!" The pirate replied, "Sorry to wake you so early, but it's Captain's orders. She needs to see you up on deck! Get dressed and hurry!" Once Ashton could hear his footsteps walking away, he sat up and stretched. Laika asked with a yawn, "What could be so important?" Ashton yawned as he got out of bed, "Don't know, but this better be good."

Once he was dressed, Ashton and Laika made their way up to the deck. Once they were outside, they saw Black Mist standing at the bow. She turned and waved, "Ahoy, Ashton! Oh, hey there Laika." Ashton grumbled, "Let's cut to the chase. Why'd you want me up here?" The captain then pointed out from the bow. "Land ho." Ashton's eyes opened wide and he ran up to the bow and looked out from the morning mist. In the distance was definitely a landmass. "We made it. The Far East."

Black Mist then turned to Ashton and said, "The reason why I needed to see you was because this is as far as I can take you. We're pirates, after all. We're not exactly a welcomed bunch." Ashton nodded, "I see. But if this is where we part ways for the time being, I have a favor to ask." Black Mist smirked, "Lay it on me." Ashton nodded, "OK. But just give me a minute. Laika, wait here." He then headed back inside and down to the mess hall.

Black Mist paced the deck for a few minutes before she noticed Ashton come outside again. But when she saw what he was carrying, she gagged, "What the? What's the deal?" Ashton spoke, "I want you to bring Serra home to Rohta. Take her to the queen and tell her that I, Ashton Redford Crimson, sent you. The royal guards and soldiers shouldn't bother you if you tell them I sent you. Tell the queen that Serra died protecting me from pirates. I want her to be properly preserved so I may give her a proper burial when I return."

Black Mist looked down at Serra and sighed, "You and she were really tight, huh?" Ashton nodded, "More than you could ever know. We were practically soul mates at one time." Black Mist bowed her head, "I see. You and she were supposed to be a team of the Dragon Masters Unit. OK, but I'm only doing this for you, Ashton. I have a Starmie scout that can use Ice Beam. I'll make sure Serra here stays frosty throughout the voyage." Ashton smiled, "I'm in your debt."

After having a crewmate take Serra's body below deck, Black Mist sighed, "I know what it's like to lose someone who looks out for you. We pirates have had our share of scuffles and I've had to watch a number of my shipmates die. Not pleasant." She then turned and held Ashton in a tender embrace, "We'll be back in about two months. Archibald may be gone, but that doesn't mean the seas are that much safer." Ashton held her close, "I hope we meet again. Take care, Black Mist." Black Mist then gave him a sweet little kiss on the cheek, "Stay alive for me."

Black Mist and Ashton shared one long gaze of respect and friendship as the crew of the Perla Celeste untied the ropes that held the two ships together. As the Perla Celeste began to leave the Flying Duskull's side, Black Mist closed her eyes and whispered, "I love you, Ashton." She then waved goodbye as the two captains lost sight of each other.

Ashton made his way up to the stern and called down to Laika, "Awaken the others. Tell them we'll be reaching shore within the hour!" Laika nodded and went back inside. Ashton took the helm and guided the ship towards the landmass before him. "Ruby's homeland. And the home of Master Koga as well. I can hardly wait."


	15. Crimson Enlightenment

Through the morning mist, the Flying Duskull drifted toward land. After losing his beloved Serra to the dread pirate Archibald, Ashton was not in the mood for anymore mistakes. Holding the helm firmly, he guided the vessel towards the docks. At last, he had arrived in the Far East.

Zandria came up alongside Ashton and breathed deeply. "Aw yeah, smells like fish. There must be fishermen hauling in their catches now." Ashton smiled, "Fish is also the main ingredient of sushi. I've never tasted the stuff, but I've heard the flavors are simply heavenly." They then came within view of the shoreline. It was then that some men began calling up to them from below. Ashton walked over to the side and called down to them, "Ah yes, I am here on behalf of the queen of Rohta! I request that you allow us to dock here!" However, the men just looked at each other while muttering amongst themselves. They then called back out to Ashton. But the viscount could not understand a word they said.

Ashton brought a hand to his face, "I can't believe I forgot about the language barriers here. They don't understand a word I'm saying and I can't understand them either." It was then that Ruby spoke, "Let me try." She then leaned over the side and shouted down at them in their native tongue. They then called back up at her. Ruby then turned to Ashton and said, "They're going to throw some ropes up here. They want us to tie them down to the ship so they can dock us." Ashton simply nodded, but Laura asked, "Hold on! How could you understand them?" Ruby giggled, "I was born here. It's only natural that I was educated to speak their language." Laura grinned, "Oh, how obvious!"

Once the mooring ropes had been fastened to the deck, the dockworkers steadily pulled the Flying Duskull towards the docks until it was close enough for the gangplank to reach the pier. "Allow me." Chiara spoke as her eyes glowed a light blue. The gangplank was then lowered with her telekinesis. Once the gangplank was secured, Ashton and his entourage proceeded down to the pier. Ruby then spoke to them in their language. They then replied in turn. Ruby then turned to her master and spoke, "It seems they were expecting us. Someone should be here to lead us to the place where we will be staying during our visit." Ashton then nodded, "OK, but whom?" As if to answer him, a voice shouted, "Welcome to the Far East, my friends! My my, I do believe you've grown slightly since I last saw you, Ashton!" The viscount froze, "That voice….. Sensei?"

Ashton and his entourage turned to face a tall wooden pole a short distance away. And at the top of the pole stood a middle-aged man clothed in a purple shinobi's tunic complete with a red cloak. His short spiky dark hair wavered slightly in the wind. With a leap, he soared through the air and landed before the foreigners with a quiet tap. As he stood up, he cast a welcoming gaze at his former pupil. "It's been quite some time, Ashton. And you're carrying quite a blade with you. Interesting weapon of choice."

Ashton bowed before his master, "It is an honor to be in your homeland, Koga-sensei." But Koga shook his head, "No, Ashton. There is no need for you to bow before me. I have heard much of your exploits against the Black Wing and the Night Hawk. That assassin had even taken the lives of some good friends of mine. As I see it, you and I are on equal ground." Ashton stood up, "I see. Still, I view you as my superior." Koga nodded and looked at the eight ladies who accompanied him. "It is good to see you again Cassandra, Serenade, Chiara, Laura, Zandria, and Aurora. Oh, but who is this?" He then noticed the Lucario and albino Mightyena. Ashton chuckled, "Ah yes. There have been a few additions to the family since I last saw you. Allow me to introduce you. This is Laika. And this is Ruby. She originates from the Far East as well." Ruby then bowed, "A pleasure, Master Koga."

Koga then asked Ashton, "So you wish to see the emperor?" Ashton grinned, "Well, that is the mission, is it not?" Koga nodded, "That it is. Please follow me." Koga then turned to lead his guests to the imperial palace. As they passed through the town, Cassandra looked about in amazement. "The architecture is even more fascinating than I expected! How exotic!" Zandria then smirked, "Not just that. Get a load of the aromas coming from the kitchens here. Can't wait to sample the fare!" Ashton spoke, "Don't get too hasty. We'll have plenty of time to enjoy ourselves here."

At the very center of the town stood a magnificent palace with a grand pagoda standing in the center. A large wall with towers positioned at several points surrounded the structure. A large red gateway stood at the center of the wall the group was approaching. But as they neared it, a pair of guards outfitted with oriental armor and kabuto helmets stood before them and crossed a pair of yari spears, barring access to the palace. One of them spoke, "You are outsiders. What business do you have with the emperor?" Before Ashton could reply, Koga spoke, "He is my pupil. He is also the ambassador sent from the kingdom of Rohta." The two guards pulled their spears back and set them straight up. "I see. Yes, we have been expecting you. Please proceed." Serenade then asked, "You speak English?" One of the guards nodded, "But of course. To help insure we are on good terms with our allies overseas, we have been trained to be bilingual. Is there anything else I can help you with, miss?" Serenade simply stared for a moment, but then replied, "Um…no." Ashton then spoke, "Come, sister. Our host awaits."

Koga led his guests through the exquisite halls of the imperial palace until they stood before another doorway. But instead of a door, the path was blocked by silk curtains. Two more guards stood in their way, but unlike the two outside, they were armed with wakizashi swords. They gripped the hilts and one of them spoke, "State your business." Koga replied, "I am escorting the ambassador from the kingdom of Rohta." They released their grips on the swords and stepped aside, holding the curtains open for the guests. "Please enter. The emperor is expecting you." Koga then led the entourage into the royal chamber. Kneeling between two advisors was a man who seemed no older than Koga. He had a long flowing black beard and wore a beautiful silk robe that shimmered like gold. He looked up to greet his guests. "Visitors from the Far West. I welcome you."

Ashton stepped forward and kneeled before the emperor. "If it is not too much trouble, may my servants join us?" The emperor looked ahead at the eight Pokémon standing behind him. "They may. All Pokémon are welcome in my kingdom." All eight of them, excluding Laika, showed surprise at the emperor's kindness towards them, but kneeled in a row at both sides of Ashton while Koga stood behind the young viscount. "You have my thanks. Now then, I have never been an ambassador before, so I'm at a loss of what to say." The emperor chuckled, "You need not say anything, Vulcan Warrior. Your exploits have even made themselves known here. And I thank you for slaying the Night Hawk. She had been marked for death some time ago."

Ashton nodded, "Indeed. The Night Hawk met her end at my hands. But who hired her?" The emperor raised an eyebrow, "Pardon?" Ashton explained, "As much as the Night Hawk enjoyed taking the lives of others, she only did so when someone commissioned her to do the deed. So who hired her here?" At this, one of the emperor's advisors spoke, "That is information that cannot be revealed to an outsider." But the emperor faced his advisor, "No, we can trust this boy. His eyes are ones of great kindness and understanding." The emperor looked back towards Ashton, "Do not mind my advisors. They simply care for my wellbeing as well as for this nation. But I know you can be trusted." Ashton nodded, "No offense taken."

The emperor spoke, "As you just said, yes. The Night Hawk was paid for her services while she was here. She had been hired to assassinate a number of veteran shinobi and kunoichi as well as a small number of individuals who were gathering information on a strange cult. We suspect that the Night Hawk had been hired by said cult." Ashton asked, "What is this cult you speak of?" The emperor sighed, "I cannot say. We have virtually no information on them at the moment. They are extremely secretive and their members have been spotted only briefly on only a few occasions. It is even suspected that this organization has no name to begin with."

Ashton frowned, "But you say that members of this cult have been seen. What did they look like?" The emperor replied, "All of the witnesses claim that each of the members had pale complexions and jet-black hair, although some were said to be bald." Serenade brought a hand to her chin, "Pale?" The emperor nodded, "Yes. About as pale as you, to be honest. But when asked if they were Gardevoir, the witnesses disagreed. I am certain that the members of this cult are all human." Serenade gulped, "I see. I was afraid you were going to arrest me."

The emperor then clapped his hands. At that moment, a servant walked in from the side of the room and set a small wooden chest before Ashton before leaving through the way he came. "As I said, the Night Hawk had been marked for death. To this effect, she had quite a bounty on her head. This is your reward for slaying her." But Ashton shook his head, "With all due respect, I don't need it. I'm wealthy enough as is." But Koga then spoke up, "That chest is filled with currency used by this nation. And the currency of Rohta is not useable in this land just yet. Are you saying you would rather stay in this land for the next month without having any means of buying food for you and your servants?" Ashton's eyes went wide as he gulped, "We can't use Rohta's currency here?" The emperor silently nodded. The viscount gave a nervous laugh, "Well…uh… I guess I WILL accept your offer! Thank you very much!" The emperor chuckled loudly, "You are very welcome, my boy. The amount of currency in that chest should be more than enough to fund your stay here. But should you happen to run out before you leave, simply let me know." Ashton nodded, "I am honored by your generosity."

The emperor then spoke, "Yes, you do indeed represent the future of your kingdom, Ashton. I will send word to the queen that I am looking forward to our alliance." He then looked at Koga and spoke, "Koga, show our guests to their home away from home." Koga nodded, "Yes, my lord. Ashton, please come with me." Ashton stood up with his eight servants following his lead. But as they left the palace, Serenade asked, "Master Koga, what is wrong with the people here?" Koga gave the Gardevoir an odd look, "Wrong? Whatever do you mean?" She then explained, "Aside from Ashton, I have never met a human who addresses Pokémon as equals before. Why do the people here see us this way?" Koga chuckled, "I'm not surprised that you noticed. Things are different here than in Rohta. Here in the Far East, Pokémon are viewed as valued partners due to their unique abilities that humans do not possess. Although not viewed as exact equals, they are viewed as being so much like humans that it makes no difference." Laura giggled, "Really? I'm gonna like it here."

Shortly after leaving the imperial palace, Ashton and his entourage found themselves at a humble little inn that was only three stories tall. Koga spoke, "This is where you will be staying. It may seem a bit modest at first glance, but rest assured that this inn is one of the finest in the land. It is known as the Akatsuki Inn since the sunrise from the top floor is a truly wonderful sight. Akatsuki means 'dawn' in our language." He then led his guests inside. Standing just past the entrance was a young woman dressed in a kimono depicting cherry blossoms. When she spoke, her voice had a heavy eastern accent. "Welcome to the Akatsuki Inn. My name is Yuriko. May I help you?" Ashton replied, "Yes. I am Ashton Redford Crimson. I am the ambassador of the kingdom of Rohta and I will be staying here for a while with my servants." The maid smiled, "Ashton? We have been expecting you. Your stay here has also been prepaid. Please come with me." Before the maid could lead the guests to their rooms, Koga spoke, "If you need me, I will be at my home. It is just to the east of the palace." He then waved goodbye at his pupil and left the inn.

Yuriko stopped before a sliding door, "Lord Ashton, this is your room. Please make yourself at home." Ashton grinned, "Thank you, Yuriko. If it is not too much to ask, may I allow one of my servants to stay with me?" He then motioned for Laika to approach him. "Laika here is my personal guardian. She is to be near me at all times." Yuriko nodded, "That is fine. If you need anything, please let me know." She then turned to the other seven ladies. "Please follow me. I will show you to your rooms." But Chiara asked, "We are permitted to have our own rooms?" Yuriko smiled, "Yes. You are each entitled to have your own rooms during your stay." Chiara grinned, "This is going to be an even more enjoyable stay than I imagined."

Ashton took a seat near the mat which served as a bed. "Well Laika, this will be our home for now." The Mightyena looked around, intrigued by just how different the room looked compared to the chambers of the Crimson estate. "No chairs?" Ashton nodded, "True. Instead of chairs, they use mats for kneeling on. Like so." Ashton then took off his boots and went over to the table at the center of the room, which was surprisingly low. He then kneeled so that the backs of his upper legs rested against the backs of his lower legs. "The mats cushion the legs so they don't scrape against the floor. Speaking of which, the floor is covered with tatami mats."

Laika approached the bed and rested herself on the covers. Ashton then walked over to her and took a seat next to her. "This is an ideal opportunity for you to improve your view of humanity. The humans of this land are much more accepting of Pokémon as partners than the humans of Rohta." Laika sighed, "Maybe so, but the scars of my past run deep. I can't guarantee that my views of them will improve during our stay." Ashton gave her a gentle pat on the head, "Even so, a little improvement is better than none. More than anything, let's enjoy our stay here." Laika nodded, "That I will."

That evening, as the moon glowed in the sky, Ashton made his way to the hot spring of the inn. Along the way, all eight of his servants joined him. But when they reached the entrance, they were baffled to find two separate doorways. And neither of them could read the symbols next to the doorways. Aurora asked, "Why are there two entrances?" Just then, a voice spoke, "The one on the left is the men's side while the one on the right is the women's side." They turned to look behind them and found Yuriko standing there. "It's also the same for every hot spring. Even if you can't read the symbols, just remember that the men's side is always on the left and the women's side is always on the right. Oh, and Lord Ashton? Koga came by and went into the hot spring. I'm sure he'd like to see you." Ashton nodded, "Thank you, Yuriko. Well ladies, enjoy yourselves." With that, they entered the hot spring on their respective sides.

"Haaaaa….. Now this is just heavenly." Ruby sighed as she sank herself up to her shoulders in the pool. "Indeed. I'm normally one for ordinary springs, but this kind of spring is even lovelier." Aurora cooed as she floated in the center of the pool. All eight of the ladies were indeed enjoying themselves. Even the stern-faced Laika sighed in pleasure as she rested in the shallows. Serenade smiled, "I wonder why we don't have springs like this back home." Ruby then asked, "Lady Serenade, why are your arms white? I thought they were green." Serenade giggled, "No, the arms of the dress I wear are green, as is the chest area. I can take it off at will. It is made of a fabric that only the Gardevoir who wears it can remove. See?" The Gardevoir then stood up. At that instant, all eyes gazed at her beautiful body. Her succulent white breasts were quite large, almost as large as her mother's. Her body also seemed more slender than usual without her flowing white dress around her. And her delicate womanhood was visible now that her clothing was removed. She asked, "See? I do wear a dress. Huh?" She then noticed some of her 'sister's' faces glaring at her. "Is something wrong?" Laura was the first to speak, "It's not fair! Why do you have to be so honking beautiful?"

The girls then heard Koga's voice call out, "Ashton, are you about ready yet?" They then heard Ashton reply, "I'll be ready within the minute!" Chiara cocked her head slightly, "He has not come in yet? What is he waiting for?" Just then, Cassandra noticed Zandria standing at the bamboo fence that separated the two sides. "Zandria, what are you doing?" The Zangoose snickered, "I've been waiting a long time for an opportunity like this! I'll finally see Ashton's jewels!" The Absol growled, "Oh no you don't! I'm seeing them too!" She climbed out of the pool and ran over to the fence, prying two sticks apart to see through. Laura giggled, "Me too! There's no way I'm missing out on this!" She then floated up to the top of the fence and peered over it. "Who knows when this chance will come again? I must take the initiative!" Chiara smiled as she levitated up next to Laura. Aurora then jumped out of the pool, "Make some room! I command you as the head maid!" She then peeked through a small gap. Ruby then climbed out of the pool and ran over to the fence, (If I'm going to bear Ashton's child someday, I need to know what he looks like down there.) Serenade then glided over to the fence, (Mother, I'll find out why you want me to marry him so badly.) Lastly, Laika walked over to the fence. "Might as well see for myself." She said, pretending to not show interest.

After about 30 seconds, the girls heard footsteps coming from the left. "Oh my god, he's coming!" "I'll bet he is drop-dead sexy!" "I bet it's huge! Like a sausage!" The girls kept muttering to themselves as the viscount approached the water, their eyes filled with giddy excitement. But just as he was about to come close enough for them to see him through the steam, their eyes went wide in surprise at a strange spraying sound, followed by a splattering sound that reminded them of rain hitting a street. Ashton turned to his right as he heard the sound of a liquid hitting the stone ground. He gasped at the sight of a small puddle of blood. "What the? Hey, are you girls all right over there?" Just before he looked in their direction, the ladies ducked out of sight. Chiara replied, "Uh…yes! We're just fine! We're…uh…really liking this hot spring! Nice and warm! No peeping through the fence! No sir!" Ashton stood there for a moment before muttering, "O…..K…?" He then stepped into the hot spring with Koga. "What do you suppose happened?" Koga grunted, "I'm not sure I want to know."

Back on the women's side, seven of the ladies cried in disappointment. Cassandra groaned, "We were SO close! I could almost smell his musk!" Ruby cried, "I could almost taste it! What went wrong?" But just then, they heard a weak moan. They then looked to the left and saw Laura lying on her back, a glazed look in her eyes. Blood was oozing from her nostrils. She muttered, "So sexy….. So godly…" Zandria growled, "Laura, you ditz! How could you blow our cover like that?" Aurora sighed, "Her excitement got the better of her. Lost control of herself before she even saw him..." The seven ladies silently wept at their wasted opportunity.

After some time, Ashton made his way back to his room while draped in a cotton robe while Koga went home. Shortly after returning to his room, Ashton asked Yuriko to bring him some green tea. Shorty after she left, Ashton heard the sliding door open and saw Laika walk in, her fur still moist. "Did you enjoy the hot spring?" The Mightyena nodded, "It was comforting." She then curled up next to him. A few minutes later, Yuriko returned with Ashton's tea. "Many thanks, Yuriko. I do believe I'll be fine for the night." After she left, Ashton tenderly sipped his tea. Laika asked, "How does it taste?" Ashton sighed, "It has a fairly modest taste. Although it doesn't taste like much, it's good for you and has a habit of growing on you." Laika simply set her head down again as her master continued to drink his tea.

Once Ashton had finished his tea, he walked over to the futon-type bed and lied down. He then held the covers open and motioned for Laika to come over. But as she approached him, he raised a hand. "Ah ah, have you forgotten your promise to me?" Laika simply stared at him for a few seconds, but then gave him a pleasant smile. "Your smile keeps improving." She then crawled under the blanket and rested her head on the pillow next to Ashton's. As he embraced her from behind, Ashton whispered, "Let there be no hate during this visit. We are here to enjoy ourselves." Laika nodded, "Very well." Soon, they both drifted off to sleep.

At around noon the next day, everyone decided to go off and look around the city on their own. Laika was even permitted to leave Ashton's side for the day. Zandria had decided to check out the various restaurants in the area. Her first stop was a ramen shop. She hopped up onto a stool and smacked down onto the counter an oval-shaped gold coin that had been giving to her by Ashton. "I'll take one of your best dishes!" The chef turned around and asked her something in his own language. After seeing Zandria give him a puzzled look, he chuckled, "Oh, you speak English? One moment." He then started to boil some ramen in a pot. Only three minutes later, he drained the ramen and poured it into a bowl of soup. He then set the bowl in front of Zandria. Along with the ramen, there were slices of pork, dried seaweed, and a small amount of green onions. "This is my most popular dish on the menu." Zandria took a deep breath as she sampled the aroma. "Man, it must taste even better than it smells."

Zandria looked around, "What's this? No fork?" The chef chuckled, "No. We use these. They're called chopsticks." Zandria looked up and saw the chef holding a pair of sticks between his fingers. "You hold them like this and then pick up the food between them." But as Zandria stared at the chopsticks, she had an idea. She extended the two claws on her right hand and made them touch each other. "I get it now." She then dunked her claws in the bowl and grabbed some ramen with them. She then carefully raised the noodles to her lips and slurped them up. A second later, her face went blank with amazement. "Yes, every single one of my customers has that face when they try this dish for the first time." Zandria then smiled, "I can see why! You really know how to cook!" She then really went to work on her meal, slurping up her ramen with gusto.

Near the harbor, Ruby was taking a walk towards the seaside. She breathed deep as the ocean air filled her nostrils. "This smell brings back memories." As she came into view of the harbor, she saw many seamen tending to their vessels. But she then noticed a merchant vessel nearby that was very familiar to her. And sitting in front of the gangplank connecting the dock to the deck was an old man.

"Master!" Ruby ran over to the old man, who had apparently dozed off. "Hm? Someone there? Wait… You look familiar…" Ruby then spoke in the dialect of the Far East, "Yes, I was the Lucario who had no spikes. The one who you gave to Ashton of Green Mile." The old man's eyes went wide with shock, "You? I did not recognize you! You seem so much more joyful now. I see no sadness in your eyes at all. Is Ashton taking care of you?" Ruby nodded, "Yes. He is taking very good care of me. I owe him much." The old man smiled, "Good to hear. He is with you, is he not?" Ruby nodded, "Yes. He was sent here as the ambassador of the kingdom of Rohta. I came along with him." The old man chuckled, "Ambassador? For someone as young as him? He must be a very trustworthy young man. But now that I think about it, do you have a name now, my little No Name?" Ruby giggled, "Yes. Lord Ashton named me Ruby." Her former master smiled, "Such a beautiful name. When you see him again, give Ashton my regards." Ruby nodded, "I will. Take care, Master!" Ruby bowed and then ran back in the direction of the town, unaware of the many eyes glaring at her from a cage behind her master.

"The very same whelp that boy took." One of the many Lucario muttered. Another spoke, "She is not worthy of being claimed by a man. He should have chosen one of us instead." Yet another Lucario growled, "Then let us correct that mistake." In a loud clatter of metal striking the ground, the two dozen Lucario inside the cage shattered the bars and knocked out their master before he could interfere.

Ruby hummed a simple melody to herself as she skipped down an alley. But a voice from above shouted, "Die, you worthless wretch!" Out of instinct, Ruby used Extremespeed to dash forward a short distance. She heard a crash right behind her. But she came to a halt as a trio of Lucario blocked her way. She then turned to run, but found the other end of the alley blocked off by another three. She then looked above her and found numerous Lucario perched atop the walls. There were precisely two dozen of them. "You…. All of you are…"

One of the Lucario nodded, "So you remember, No Name. We are the pack members who sailed the ocean with you. We deserved to be taken in by those who would give us shelter. But you are not worthy of such. And for this, the mistake our master made will be corrected!" At that instant, they all lunged at her. "No! I didn't do anything wrong! Go away!" But when they were about to strike, a voice yelled, "Wind Scythe Jutsu!" At that call, a blast of wind sent the pack of Lucario flying to the end of the alley before landing in a pile. Ruby, who had not been caught in the gust, turned to face the other end of the alley. "Lord Ashton!"

The viscount hoisted the Flamberge to his shoulder, "Ruby, allow me to handle these thugs." He then walked forward as Ruby ran to the other end of the alley. Once the Lucario had gotten themselves out of the pile, they stood before the young knight. One demanded, "Stand aside. Our business is with that unworthy female." Ashton simply grunted, "From what I can see, she has done no harm to either of you. If you harm a member of my family, you will suffer the consequences." Another Lucario growled, "Family? You should have chosen one of us! She is not deserving of your kind heart! We have all of the makings that make us Lucario while she does not!" Ashton sighed, "You mean those spikes? Look, just because she lacks something that you have does not mean she is worse than you. Everyone has their flaws. Now get lost." Finally, one of the Lucario charged Ashton and leapt at him, "Get out of our way! If not, you will die along with her!"

Ashton stood his ground as the Lucario lunged at him. But as soon as it was within range, he performed a sideways slash with the Flamberge, splitting him in two at the waist. The two halves rolled along the ground due to the momentum, spilling his blood along the ground. Ruby became even bluer in the face than usual as she saw one of her own kind slaughtered. The other Lucario looked on in shock from watching Ashton swing something as large as the Flamberge so quickly. But after a moment, the viscount began to tremble violently. He slowly brought the Flamberge back up in front of him and gripped the hilt with both hands. Ruby could hear his breathing become erratic as he began to sweat profusely. He looked ahead at the pack of Lucario and screamed, "Stay away! Don't force me to kill you all!"

The Lucario simply looked ahead at the panicked expression on Ashton's face. "It seems he's cracking in our presence. Is it because we have him outnumbered?" One of the Lucario shouted, "This is your last chance! Stand aside, or die!" The entire pack then charged the cowering viscount. As they closed in, Ashton let out a wail the likes of which Ruby had never heard before. She closed her eyes and covered her ears as the sound of metal cleaving flesh and screams of death echoed out of the alley. Blood splattered everywhere along the walls and ground. In under a minute, the air was filled with only a deathly silence.

Without even turning around to face her master, Ruby could smell a sickly sweet odor fill the air. She called out with her eyes closed, "Lord Ashton, are you well?" All she could hear was Ashton's erratic breathing. He then spoke, "Leave me….. Just for now…" Without questioning him, Ruby turned and made her way back to the Akatsuki Inn, hoping that Ashton had not been harmed.

Ashton dropped the Flamberge as he sank to his knees. "What have I done? How could I do that to them?" He looked around at the mangled corpses of the Lucario who had tried to murder him. He then dropped to his hands and screamed in remorse, surrounded by the disemboweled remains of the very creatures he had vowed to protect.

"That is quite enough, Ashton. There is nothing for you to be ashamed of." The viscount slowly looked up as he trembled in sorrow. Standing before him was Koga. "Koga-sensei… You don't understand… They were…" But the wise shinobi set a hand on Ashton's shoulder. "You said it yourself. Pokémon are people, just like humans." Ashton nodded, "Yes. That is why I vowed to protect them. But I…." Koga then spoke, "But since they are the same as humans, Pokémon are just as capable of performing acts of evil. Right?"

This made Ashton think of something that had never crossed his mind before. "Capable…of evil?" Koga nodded, "Yes. Since Pokémon have souls like us, they are also just as capable of performing acts of evil. There is no excusing the harm that the humans of your land force onto the Pokémon that reside within Rohta, but you must always understand that anything that has a soul can go either way. Never forget that. You did the right thing. If you had not killed them, they would have murdered Ruby. Pride is said to be the sin from which all other sins originate from. And they were drunk with it."

Ashton slowly climbed to his feet as he wiped his tears away. "Koga-sensei… Thank you. I had never imagined that Pokémon could be just as villainous as humans can be. I had always viewed them as victims. But now I know that even they can become just as cruel as humans can be." Koga smiled, "I know it must have hurt to see them fall before you, but you became wiser in the process." Ashton then picked up the Flamberge and placed it on his back, "Even so, I will not falter in my quest to make it known that Pokémon have souls. How will we ever know if Pokémon are evil from birth if we never give them a chance?" Koga smiled, "True. Now head on back to the inn and rest. I'll let their master know what happened. Trust me. He will understand." Ashton gave Koga a friendly wave as he walked away from the bloody mess. He looked to the sky, his soul now filled with renewed resolve.

That night, a lone figure made his way through a forest under the cover of darkness. His face was wrapped in a black hood that shinobi were known for wearing during missions. He came to a small clearing where a single figure stood. He dropped from the trees and kneeled behind the person. "My liege, it would seem that he has indeed arrived in this land. The Vulcan Warrior is among us." The figure before him replied in a quiet and raspy voice without turning to face his informant, "Is he now? The very same man who destroyed the Night Hawk?" The masked man nodded, "The same." The figure before him chuckled a bit, "Most interesting. He will prove to be a valuable ally indeed."

The masked man asked, "Ally? Are you certain that a person like him would truly aid us?" The figure before him smiled, "Indeed. He harbors much resentment towards humanity, even if he does not show it very well. And it is our goal to bring humanity to its knees. I'm sure we can arrange a bargain for his service under the watchful eyes of our master." The masked shinobi nodded, "I see. Should I inform the others to be on alert?" The figure replied, "Yes. But make certain that you do not harm him. He is our guest after all." The hooded man nodded before vanishing in a blur.

The lone figure chuckled, "Ashton Redford Crimson. The Vulcan Warrior. The carrier of the Eternal Flame. Such an ally will truly prove essential to our great master's revival." The mysterious man chuckled, his yellow reptilian eyes shining in the darkness.


	16. Arts of the East

Ashton stood on the balcony at the top floor of the Akatsuki Inn just as the sun was about to rise over the horizon. Along with him were his eight servants. "They say that this is called the Akatsuki Inn because of the view its visitors can get of the sunrise. Let's find out if it's true." Ashton said with a yawn as he had gotten himself up early just to see it. And then it happened. The first rays of sunlight shone over the land as the sun rose over the horizon, its golden rays warming the earth. Chiara sighed, "They weren't joking about the sunrise looking spectacular from here. There's absolutely nothing obstructing our view. And the view is so wide. It's like the sunlight is steadily falling over the landscape like an ocean wave." Zandria then stretched, "Yeah, what a great way to start off our first morning here. Well, time for breakfast! Can't wait to see what they serve at these hours!"

A short while later, everyone went their own ways as they continued to explore this new land. Zandria made her way to the nearest restaurant she could find. She took a seat, or rather kneel, at the first empty table she found. She then waved for a waitress to approach her. The waitress was clothed in a quaint white kimono. She then asked something in her native language. Zandria frowned, "Sorry, could you try using English?" The waitress nodded, "Yes. I apologize. Is there anything I can help you with?" Zandria nodded, "Yes. I'd like to try your most popular dish." The waitress then handed the Zangoose a menu that was written into a scroll. Zandria first saw the items written in an unreadable language, and then found English translations. "There's more than one?" The waitress nodded, "All of our items are very popular." Zandria then nodded, "OK. Guess I'll have one of everything." The waitress gasped, "One of everything?" Zandria smirked, "Don't worry, I can afford it. And I can eat a lot. I work around food all the time." The waitress nodded, "I see. I will bring your order out when it is ready." The waitress then took the menu with her to the far end of the restaurant.

Zandria waited for a few minutes and saw the waitress return with a small bowl of soup. "What's this?" The waitress smiled, "Miso soup. It's an appetizer." The milky soup contained sliced mushrooms, green onions, seaweed, and clumps of tofu. Zandria's mouth began to water, "It smells scrumptious. Do I need chopsticks for this?" The waitress shook her head and handed the Zangoose a soupspoon, "No. You may drink the soup from the bowl or use this." Zandria took the spoon in hand, "Gulping from the bowl is bad table manners in my book. You only drink from the bowl if there's nothing solid left." She then scooped up some soup and some tofu and tasted it. Her face went blank with delight as the soup slid down her throat. "Absolutely delightful. The cuisine of this land is beyond anything I've ever tasted before."

After enjoying three more bowls of miso soup, Zandria noticed the waitress carrying a large round platter towards her. When she set it down on the table, Zandria's eyes went wide at the sight of about 100 pieces of sushi. "That's everything on the menu? What is this?" The waitress giggled, "Sushi." Zandria's ears perked up, "Ashton mentioned something about sushi before. The main ingredient is fish, isn't it?" The waitress nodded, "Yes. Many different fish are used with sushi. Eel, octopus, shrimp, tuna, crab, mackerel, and many others." Zandria grinned, "Judging by the way these are shaped, chopsticks are best suited for the task." She then noticed a small clump of green paste. "Green? Must be avocado." Grabbing the entire clump between her fingers, Zandria placed the whole thing in her mouth, much to the shock of the waitress.

"Hm. That's a unique ta….ah…AH!" Zandria's face started to turn red as she gasped for breath. "WATER! NEED WATER!" The waitress ran back to the end of the restaurant to get some water for Zandria. But the Zangoose soon noticed a small bottle on the table. "Great!" She grabbed the bottle with both hands and held the bottle above as a black fluid fell into her mouth. Zandria gulped the fluid without stopping for about ten seconds. After the bottle had been nearly drained, Zandria set it down and gagged, "Thought I was gonna die… Man, that was terribly spicy! There's no way that could be avocado! But…bleh…that black stuff sure was salty." Just then, the waitress ran back over to Zandria with a glass of water. "Thanks." The Zangoose then drank the water quickly. She then gasped, "Much better. But what the hell was that green stuff?" The waitress giggled, "It is called wasabi. And as you now know, it is very spicy." Zandria groaned, "I've eaten peppers that aren't as spicy as that stuff! But what about that black stuff in this bottle?" The waitress nodded, "That is soy sauce. Sushi tastes especially good when dipped in it." Zandria smiled, "Nice. Now to find out just how good sushi really is." After pouring the remaining soy sauce into a shallow bowl, she tried out some eel sushi. The unique sauce that had been applied to the eel made it extremely tasty. Zandria then tried out all the other sushi, one by one. "I really need to learn how to make this stuff!"

Elsewhere in the city, Ashton and Laika were inspecting some weapons that had been crafted by a local swordsmith. There were katana, wakizashi, and tanto swords along with spears and daggers. "Anything that catches your eye, sir?" The swordsmith asked. Ashton smiled, "Yes, but I already have my own blade. And it has guaranteed my victory in numerous duels." Ashton and Laika then turned to leave, but a voice called out, "Ashton!" The two turned to face the voice and saw Serenade approaching them. "Serenade, anything I can do for you?" Ashton asked. The Gardevoir replied, "I just want to accompany you." Ashton smiled, "By all means, please." The three then proceeded down the road.

A short while later, Serenade stopped as her innate ability to sense impending danger, a trait shared by all Gardevoir, alerted her to an approaching threat. "Ashton, wait." The viscount turned to face his sister, "Something wrong?" She nodded, "There's some sort of danger approaching." Ashton placed his hand on the hilt of the Flamberge. Laika's ears stood up as she listened carefully for anything out of the ordinary. Just then, she heard someone shouting in the natives' dialect. A moment later, a Tauros turned the corner at the end of the road and charged straight ahead at the viscount.

"Ashton, allow me!" Serenade stood firmly before her brother as her eyes glowed a light blue. But Ashton grabbed her by the shoulder, "Don't be a fool! You know you can't use psychic force on distant targets! Stand aside!" He then stood before his sister and planted the Flamberge's blade into the ground next to him. He then made a few hand signs. "Earth Style." He then grabbed the Flamberge and then thrust it into the ground in front of him. "Terra Shield!" At that instant, a wall of stone rose up before them. A second later, there was a loud crash as the Tauros ran headfirst into it. The wall collapsed, revealing a heavily dazed Tauros lying on the ground. "Poor chap. Tauros are not known to be the brightest Pokémon. Must've been suddenly spooked for him to just run wild like that." He then turned to Serenade, "Well then, shall we be going?" But the Gardevoir seemed very down about something. "I think I will take some time to myself for a while, brother." She then proceeded down the road on her own.

Serenade frowned to herself, (I'm an embarrassment as a Gardevoir. If I can't protect the man I love, how can I even protect myself? I can't even call myself a Psychic Pokémon if I can't use telekinetic force.) After a few minutes of aimless walking, Serenade passed by a large home. She then stopped as she heard what sounded like the voice of a young woman in battle. Fearing that she might be in danger, Serenade quickly made her way to the closest entrance she could find and followed the voice. She soon came to a courtyard, but only saw the girl. There was no one else there.

The young woman seemed to be practicing a type of unarmed combat style. She would frequently extend her hands to strike while sometimes lashing out with kicks. But something puzzled Serenade. The woman did not seem to be using fatal force with her strikes. She could not imagine how a thrust from an open palm could seriously harm an opponent. But once the woman stopped to rest, she turned towards Serenade's location and noticed the Gardevoir peeking out from behind a pillar.

"Who are you? Is there something I can help you with?" The young woman asked. Serenade remained silent. The young woman seemed to be in her late teens. She wore an elegant white robe and had long black hair. But her eyes were very pale, leading Serenade to believe that she was blind. "I said, what are you doing at my home?" Serenade then replied, "You mean you can see me?" The young woman gave Serenade an odd glance, but then giggled, "Oh, you're not from this land, are you? It's my eyes, isn't it? I'm not blind! All members of my clan have eyes like mine! My name is Hanako. I am the heir of the Hyuga Clan."

Serenade then approached Hanako, "Hyuga? Well, my name is Serenade. I come from the kingdom of Rohta." Hanako nodded, "Rohta? I've heard little of that place." Serenade then asked, "What were you doing? It looked like some sort of hand-to-hand combat style. But how do you harm the opponent with an open-palmed thrust?" Hanako smiled, "Well, the thrust itself doesn't do much. It's the burst of Chakra emitted from the hand that really does the damage." Serenade replied, "Chakra? Isn't that a type of spiritual energy? I heard my brother say that all creatures have it." Hanako nodded, "True. This style of hand-to-hand combat is called the Gentle Fist since it never requires striking with a closed fist. Instead of causing harm through blunt trauma, the burst of Chakra places great strain on the muscles and internal organs of the target. And it is impossible for you to strengthen your organs. There's just no way. That's what makes the Gentle Fist so effective."

Serenade pondered Hanako's explanation of the Gentle Fist. She then asked, "Hanako, may I ask you a favor?" The young Hyuga nodded, "Sure. Lay it on me." Serenade then asked, "Teach me how to use the Gentle Fist." Hanako gave Serenade an odd stare, "Why? Being a Gardevoir, you should be able to defend yourself with your mind…wait. Something's missing." Hanako began to circle the Gardevoir. "Where's that red object? And what about the one on your chest?" Hanako then stood before Serenade before gently moving her breasts aside. "Strange… Not here either?" But Serenade backed away and crossed her arms over her chest, "What's wrong with you? Don't touch me there!" Hanako laughed, "Sorry! Just had to be sure! But I really wish I had breasts like yours! But seriously, you don't have those two red things?" Serenade nodded, "Yes. I was born without them. As a result, I can't exert psychic force on anything that is more than just a few feet from me. That is why I want to learn the Gentle Fist. I want to be able to protect myself and others."

Hanako frowned, "Well, you would not be able to truly master the Gentle Fist without the Byakugan." Serenade asked, "Byakugan?" Hanako replied, "It means 'White Eye' in our language." At that moment, Hanako's eyes became more aggressive and veins around her eyes began to bulge under the skin. "This is the Byakugan. When active, we Hyuga can see the Chakra circulatory system of an opponent. It's much like the body's circulatory system for blood. And the Gentle Fist can disrupt that flow of Chakra, creating quite a bit of trouble for our opponent depending on where we strike." Hanako's eyes then returned to normal. Serenade then sighed, "I see. And this 'Byakugan' is something only the Hyuga Clan has access to?" Hanako nodded, "Yes. It is a Kekkei Genkai, meaning 'Bloodline Trait'. It's not something that can be taught to anyone. You literally have to be born with the ability." But Hanako then smiled, "Still, the Gentle Fist does not require a lot of muscle to use. The idea of a Gardevoir using it really intrigues me! I'll teach you what I can. OK?" Serenade grinned happily and bowed, "Thank you, Miss Hanako." But Hanako replied, "Just call me Hanako. I'm still in training myself."

At the other side of the Hyuga complex, Hanako and Serenade set up a large straw training dummy. "Just what exactly am I supposed to do?" Serenade asked, having never seen a training dummy like this before. Hanako replied, "Just try out the Gentle Fist. Gather your Chakra into your palm and release it as your hand strikes the target. I'll watch to make sure your Chakra is properly channeled." Her eyes then changed as the Byakugan activated. "OK. I'll try my best." Serenade then raised her right hand and pulled her arm back. She then tried to focus her strength into her palm. When she felt ready, the Gardevoir gave a hard thrust into the dummy.

Serenade stood still as she rested her palm against the dummy. "Did I do it right?" Hanako frowned, "Nothing. I saw no Chakra at all." Serenade tried again. And again. And yet again. But no matter how many times she tried, she could not utilize her Chakra at all. Hanako sighed, "Maybe you're not cut out for it. Even I'm not entirely sure of how to explain how to focus Chakra into a single point." Serenade then looked at her hands. (I can only focus my psychic power onto objects that are near me. What if…) She then reached her palm back. "Let me try one more time." With that, she slammed her palm into the dummy. At that instant, there was a sudden burst of wind as the dummy went flying backwards and exploded into a pile of straw as it impacted the wall at the end of the training grounds.

Serenade jumped in joy, "I did it! I used the Gentle Fist! Hanako, did you see… Hanako?" The young Hyuga simply stood there with her mouth hanging open. "What the heck…was THAT? I didn't see any Chakra, and yet you obliterated that thing!" Serenade then asked, "So that was not the Gentle Fist?" Hanako shook her head, "No, but it just might be even better. Tell me, what did you do when you struck that dummy?" Serenade replied, "Well, I focused psychic force into the space in front of my palm and slammed it into the dummy." Hanako smiled, "Genius. Pure genius. While your psychic powers may have limited range, they can strike with greater intensity in the range they can reach than at long distance. It's even better than the Gentle Fist. It's a…..a Psychic Fist!" Serenade giggled, "So this style is my own? Maybe I can go farther."

A short while later, Serenade stood at the center of the training grounds. Hanako stood a good distance away with several pouches of shuriken at her disposal. "OK, here it comes!" She then began to throw a steady stream of shuriken at Serenade. But the Gardevoir smiled as she projected her psychic power around herself. The shuriken fell to the ground as they struck the barrier that Serenade had set up. Not one of them could get through. "OK, next test!" Hanako then threw a kunai dagger at Serenade. But the Gardevoir extended her open hand and held the kunai in place just an inch from her hand with psychic force. She then redirected it towards another training dummy and sent it flying, striking the dummy in the head. After she repeated the process a few times, Serenade then tried an offensive move. Her eyes glowed as a chunk of the ground in front of her floated up in front of her face. She then struck it with her palm, breaking the chunk of earth into multiple pieces and sending them flying into more training dummies at high velocity. When each piece of earth struck the heads of the dummies, they were swiftly decapitated.

Hanako applauded her student, "Wow, you really are a unique specimen." Serenade bowed, "Thank you. I think I can finally protect those who are dear to me now. And I have you to thank, Hanako." But the Hyuga replied, "No, I did almost nothing to train you. You came up with a new style virtually on your own. And it's a style that is yours alone. I'm sure there's not a Pokémon alive that can match you now." Serenade giggled, "Even so, you gave me the idea of using close combat instead of distant attacks. Surely there must be some way for me to repay you." Hanako smirked, "If you insist. How about you give me some tips on how to make my breasts larger? There aren't many women in this land who are as well-endowed as you." Serenade blushed, "I'll see what I can do."

Elsewhere, Zandria let out a belch as she staggered out of the sushi restaurant. "Whoa….. Sushi really fills you up. Can't believe I ate all of that sushi in one go. But man, that was delicious." But as she was about to pass a home, she saw a woman emerge from it who seemed to be hiding something as she ducked into an alley while frequently checking if anyone was following her. Zandria raised an eyebrow, "Something's up." She then carefully followed her, suspecting that she might be a thief.

Zandria carefully pursued the woman as she made her way to the edge of the town. Zandria hoped that the woman would not lead her too far as she feared she would not be able to find her way back. Fortunately, the woman stopped not far from the path that led back into town. After making sure no one was around, the woman became shrouded in a blinding light. Zandria looked on in awe at what she was seeing. But her jaw dropped when the light faded. Standing before her was a fox. But while it closely resembled a Ninetales, the fox had an almost ethereal presence. Her nine tails were indeed real as they waved in the air.

"Wow, what are you?" Zandria asked as she stepped out from behind a tree. The fox gasped and turned to face her pursuer. Zandria threw up her hands, "I'm not here to harm you. I just thought you looked suspicious, so I tailed you." The fox still backed away with panic in her eyes. Zandria smiled, "But really, you can turn into a human? I really wish I could do that." The fox gave Zandria a surprised stare. She then relaxed, "You do?" Zandria nodded, "You bet! But what exactly are you? You kinda look like a Ninetales, but not quite." The fox nodded, "Yes. I am not a Pokémon at all. I am what is known as a kitsune."

Zandria cocked her head to one side, "Kitsune?" The kitsune nodded, "Yes. We are a type of spirit fox. The number of tails we have reflects our age, wisdom, and power." Zandria then asked, "Tails? You have nine. What does that amount to?" The kitsune replied, "Nine tails is the maximum." Zandria grinned, "Whoa. You must be ancient. No offense." The kitsune nodded, "None taken."

Zandria then asked, "Wait… You can become a human, right? Could you show me how to?" The kitsune gave Zandria an odd look, "Why? What do you wish to gain?" Zandria blushed, "The love of my master." The kitsune gasped, "Your…master?" The Zangoose sighed, "My master is a wonderful man. He saved me from a life as a breeder in my homeland. I want to repay him. I want to show him my love. But he is somewhat naïve. The only way I can get my point across is to become the same as him."

The kitsune sighed, "I know that feeling. My husband is also a true pleasure to be around. I have already bore him three children. But I can only be with him as a human. The price of someone discovering my true form would bring him great shame, I believe." The kitsune then smiled, "I can't ignore a maiden in love. I will teach you." Zandria smiled brightly, "I owe you one…um….. What's your name again?" The kitsune smiled, "Asami. It means 'morning beauty'."

After leading Zandria further away from the town to reduce the risk of them being spotted, Asami sat before the Zangoose. "Since you are not a kitsune, the method you will use to change forms will differ from mine. Are you ready?" Zandria nodded, "I was born ready!" Asami giggled, "So I see. Now then, form your hands into a certain sign." Zandria was a bit puzzled and tried holding her fingers together while bending some of them. "How's this?" Asami nodded, "Yes, the Tiger hand sign. That will do. Now then, close your eyes. And focus. Visualize the body you desire. The form your master will crave." Zandria listened to her instructor and focused. "Perfect curves. Bountiful breasts. A pretty face. Yes! I see it!" Zandria focused harder to make out greater detail of her form. "That's it! That's the one!" All of a sudden, the Zangoose was engulfed in a plume of smoke.

As the smoke began to clear, Asami asked, "So, did you get what you want…wa….." Asami froze at the sight of Zandria's new form. In a voice that was sultrier than usual, Zandria spoke, "Tell me, how do I look?" But the kitsune was still frozen with shock. Zandria smirked, (If she's that stunned, I must've gotten it right!) In a quick puff of smoke, Zandria reverted to her true form. "Thanks again, Asami! Ashton should be begging for me tonight!" The Zangoose then ran back to town. But by the time the kitsune had come to her senses, Zandria was gone. "Oh no, I hope she takes a good look at herself before trying that. She only got it half right."

That night, Zandria waited in Ashton's room at the Akatsuki Inn as he enjoyed a dip in the hot spring. She grew excited as she heard footsteps approach. "Just you wait, Ashton. I'll be the one who claims your virginity." Soon, the door slid open as Ashton and Laika entered. "Hm? Zandria?" Ashton noticed the Zangoose kneeling at the table at the center of the room. "Ashton, there's something I'd like to do for you in private." Ashton nodded, "I see. Laika, would you mind leaving us for a time?" Laika silently nodded and left the room as Ashton closed the door; accidentally leaving it open a bit.

Ashton, still draped in a cotton robe, asked, "Now then, what is it that you wanted to do for me?" Zandria smirked and stood up. "You've done so much for me over the past few years. I just want to return the favor." She then stood before Ashton and made the same hand sign as earlier. A second later, a plume of smoke erupted around her. "What is this? Some sort of new trick?" But when the smoke began to clear, Ashton stared aghast at what stood before him. "So, shall we begin?"

Ashton stood transfixed for a moment before an explosive nosebleed sent him falling backwards onto his bed. Zandria giggled, "That hot, am I?" She then walked over to him and reached for his face, "Let me get that blood off your….. HUH?" Zandria gasped at the sight of her hand. "Why do I still have fur?" Zandria then frantically dashed over to a small hand mirror and looked herself over. Although she had indeed taken on the beautiful form she had envisioned, she was still a Zangoose. An anthro Zangoose. She had slender legs and a perfect hourglass body. Her breasts were a very generous size and her face was more feminine than ever before.

"No….. OH NO! Where did I go wrong?" Zandria screamed in disgust at her body. Ashton then stood up and walked over to Zandria while wiping the blood from his nose. "Zandria, what did you…?" But the distraught Zangoose covered her face, "Don't look at me! I'm hideous!" But Ashton grabbed her hand and pulled her close to him. "Hideous? Whatever do you mean?" Zandria then looked up into his dark eyes, "Are you saying I'm not ugly to you?" Ashton then surprised her with a blush, "To be honest, you are far more beautiful than any human girl I have ever laid eyes on."

Zandria could not believe what she had heard. Even though she did not look human, Ashton still found her to be beautiful. Even more beautiful than his own kind. Ashton then asked, "Now then, what did you want with me?" Zandria then got a very amorous gleam in her eyes. She tenderly stroked his face with her gentle hand, "I want to repay you for everything you've done for me. I want to please you. To pleasure you." Ashton backed away with a nervous look in his eyes, but Zandria smiled, "Don't worry. I'll do all the work. Now, undress."

Ashton began to sweat profusely, "Zandria… Are you…?" The anthro Zangoose slowly swaggered towards him, her arousal growing. Ashton pleaded, "Zandria! If the people back home learn of this, there will be nothing I can do to protect you!" But Zandria tenderly embraced him and purred, "I'm not going to do anything like that. I just want to pleasure you. Nothing more." She then pulled open the upper section of his robe and pressed her large furry breasts against his bare chest. Ashton shuddered at the feel of Zandria's chest. "Feels nice, doesn't it?" Ashton then set his hands on her breasts and gently squeezed them. Zandria moaned, "Oh god, yes… I've always wanted that…" After a minute more of Ashton massaging her breasts, Zandria gave in and pressed into a very wet kiss with her master. Ashton was at first shocked, but quickly began to enjoy it. Once they broke the kiss, Zandria whispered, "Let's begin."

Ashton removed his robe and relaxed onto the bed. Zandria looked down at the male equipment she had tried to see the previous night. (It's every bit as succulent as I imagined!) She then got down on all fours and tender caressed his testicles with one hand while she drank in his mush through her nostrils. The scent was intoxicating as Zandria's womanhood began to drip as if she was in heat. She then began to gently lick his member, prompting a loud groan from Ashton. "Ah! Zandria… This…amazing!" Zandria continued to lick his member until it stood straight up, begging for release.

Ashton panted, "That's all?" He then saw Zandria get on her knees and positioned herself above him. With one hand, she held open her lips as she lowered herself just above his member. Ashton gasped, "Zandria, not this! What if you become…" But Zandria smiled, "I know what I'm doing. Just relax and enjoy this, my lord." She then dropped herself onto Ashton's member, causing him to groan loudly. "This is… I can't even find the right words!" Zandria then began to raise and lower herself onto Ashton's member. "I'll make you feel pleasure the likes of which you've never experienced!" Zandria panted as she claimed her master.

Cassandra passed by Ashton's room, but stopped as she heard strange sounds coming from within. "What in the world…?" The Absol then peeked in through the tiny gap between the door and the wall. She then gasped in shock at the sight of her beloved master mating with her rival. "Ashton, harder! Give it your all!" Cassandra could tell that Zandria did not look quite the way she normally did, but Ashton confirmed her identity. "Zandria, your breasts! They keep bouncing against my chest! Love it!" Cassandra could only continue to watch as tears began to fill her eyes. After a few more minutes, Ashton let out a moan as Zandria gasped, "Yes, that's what I want. Yeah, fill me up." Cassandra felt tears trickle down her face as she saw a few trails of sperm ooze down Ashton's member. (I lost him…) Unable to bear the fact any longer, she ran down the hallway and collapsed in her bed, weeping bitterly.

Zandria fell upon Ashton's chest as her focus broke, her body returning to its true form. "So, did you feel pleasure?" The viscount gasped, "Yes. Very much so." He then caressed her head, "Zandria, thank you for making my first time so enjoyable." The Zangoose gave Ashton a sweet kiss on the cheek, "Anything for you, my lord." She then raised herself off of him and went to the door. She flashed Ashton a wink before heading down the hall to her own room. But when she passed Cassandra's room, she stopped at the sound of crying. "That can't be good." She then peeked inside the room to see her rival with her face buried in a pillow, crying hard.

Zandria sighed and walked over to the Absol and sat down, "What's wrong?" The Absol then gave the Zangoose an angered glare, "You stole him from me! How could you seduce him like that? Now that you are carrying Ashton's child, he will have no choice but to marry you when we return to Rohta!" It was then that Zandria remembered the sperm that had been injected into her womb. "Oh man, I forgot! I gotta hurry!" She looked around for anything that looked like a bowl or bucket. She then found a bowl normally used for holding water when the guests at the inn washed their faces. "This should do." Zandria then placed the bowl on the floor and stood over it. With one hand, she held her lips open and pressed her other hand against her abdomen. "Come on…come on…" After a moment of straining herself, Zandria heard a splattering sound as Ashton's sperm began squirting out of her womb and into the bowl below. The Zangoose breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that she had not become pregnant before Pokémon had been decreed equals in Rohta.

Zandria turned to face Cassandra, "There. No harm done. I'm not having babies yet." But the Absol gave Zandria an odd stare, "How did you do that?" The Zangoose simply shrugged her shoulders. But when she looked back at the bowl of sperm, she had an idea. She dipped her claws into the stuff and took a taste. "Hey, that's not bad at all. A little salty and a bit sweet." But then Cassandra asked, "But how did you change your body like that? I've never seen a woman with such a beautiful form!" Zandria then gave Cassandra a sly gaze, "Want me to show you how so you can have some fun with Ashton?" The Absol gasped, "Yes yes oh YES!"

A short while later, Ashton was reading a book he had found in his room. "Kunai daggers were originally digging tools? What will they think of next?" He then read a column about how some shinobi cause their victims to become infected with tetanus by using shuriken that had been allowed to rust while embedded in dung. "Now that is just sick. I hope that's been outlawed by now." Ashton gagged while a little blue in the face.

"Oh Ashton dear, may I enter?" Cassandra's voice spoke from beyond the door. Ashton replied, "Yes, please do." As the Absol entered, Ashton went back to reading his book. But he became suspicious when he heard her lock the door. "Is there something you want to saaaaayyyyyy….gah?" Ashton looked in absolute shock at Cassandra. "Ashton, I wish to pleasure you as well."

Standing before the viscount was a gorgeous anthro Absol. Like Zandria, she was only able to get the form half right. Her body was slender and without flaw while her breasts were quite robust. Her long silver tail swayed from side to side as it hanged down from her hips. Ashton could feel another nosebleed coming on and pinched his nose shut. "You too? You want to pleasure me?"

Cassandra kneeled before Ashton and stripped him of his robe. She tenderly caressed his face, "I have always treasured my time with you. I want to repay your kindness to me." She then began to slowly and softly kiss Ashton on the face while making her way down to his chest. She then noticed his manhood starting to straighten. "So beautiful…" She lowered her head to it and began to lick it. Ashton gasped, "You and Zandria are really good at that." But unlike Zandria, she did not stop. Cassandra continued to suck, even going so far as to deep throat his member. By now, Ashton had become more used to handling an orgasm and when it came he only let out a loud sigh as his sperm burst forth into Cassandra's mouth. She did not swallow until she had sucked him dry. When Cassandra did swallow the load, she let out a murmur of delight at the taste. "So delicious."

Ashton breathed heavily for a moment as he recovered from his orgasm. "First Zandria, and now you. What do you want with me?" Ashton then climbed to his feet, not bothering to wrap himself in the robe. But Cassandra stood up and held out her arms while casting an endearing gaze upon her master. "Cassandra?" The Absol whispered, "Ashton, just for tonight. Take me in your arms. See me not as a Pokémon. Not as a member of your family. But as a woman." She then very slowly approached him and gently laid her hands on his shoulders. "Ashton…" She then slowly closed the gap between their faces. "I have always loved you." She then sealed lips with the boy she had always loved so dearly. Their tongues mingled as they closed their eyes, tightly embracing each other. Once they had broken the kiss, Ashton rested a hand on the back of Cassandra's head and whispered, "Cassandra, stay by my side tonight." Happy like never before, the Absol whispered, "Of course, my lord."

Elsewhere in a deep forest, no more than three dozen shinobi kneeled before their leader. One spoke, "My liege, the preparations are proceeding much more smoothly than we originally expected. At this rate, it should be ready in only two weeks at the least." The mysterious man chuckled, "Very good. And Ashton?" Another shinobi replied, "We are still observing him. He has made no effort in investigating our activities. I do not believe we need to worry about him uncovering our plans."

The leader of the dark cult smiled, "Very well then. Continue as planned." With a quiet nod, the three dozen shinobi vanished in a flurry of leaves. His pale skin illuminated by the faint moonlight, the leader of the cult chuckled, "It's only a matter of time. Before long, our great savior will return to this world." His long black hair blew in the night breeze as his snake-like yellow eyes shimmered in sinister malice.


	17. Reunion among the Dead

Around two weeks after arriving in the Far East, Ashton and his servants had become quite close with the townspeople. They had developed their own likes, routines, and favorite foods. Zandria in particular became a frequent visitor to the sushi restaurant where she nearly killed herself with wasabi. Even though they were far away from home, the Far East felt like a new home to them now.

Ashton was strolling by a brook that flowed through the town with Laika at his side. But as they crossed a wooden bridge to the other side, Laika stopped as they reached halfway across. "Something troubling you?" The Mightyena growled, "We are not alone." As she spoke those words, six shinobi clothed in black suddenly emerged from the trees on each side of the brook, three on each side. Their heads were masked with hoods to hide their identities. But one of them jumped backwards as the other five closed in and blocked off any way off the bridge.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Ashton asked in a polite tone. One of the shinobi replied in a raspy voice, "Yes. You can escape from our assault. That is, if you can." Ashton reached for the hilt of the Flamberge, but all five shinobi opened up their vests to reveal numerous paper tags attached to their chests. Soon, a sizzling sound was heard as they began to ignite. Laika sniffed the air, "Gunpowder?" But Ashton gulped, "Paper bombs!" The viscount then picked up the surprised Mightyena in his arms. Then, after focusing his Chakra into his feet, made a mighty leap straight up as the suicidal shinobi exploded in a flash of fire!

Ashton fell back to the ground after leaping a good thirty feet into the air on the opposite side of the brook that he and Laika originally intended to reach. "Thanks." Laika muttered as Ashton set her down. But they then noticed the sixth shinobi still standing nearby. "You still here? Why didn't you blow yourself up too?" Ashton asked as he reached for his sword. The shinobi replied, "It was my duty to see if you would survive that little test and report the results." He then made a hand sign, "And now that the test has ended, I'll just be on my…" But before he could finish his sentence, the shinobi yelped as he felt something grab his ankle! "What the? Who's there?" All three of them looked down and saw a hand reaching up from the ground and holding the shinobi's ankle. A voice spoke, "And just where do you think you are going?" The shinobi gulped, "Oops…" He then let out a yell as he was dragged down into the ground.

Koga stood before the shinobi, whose head was the only part of him above the ground. The wise old shinobi chuckled, "How was that? Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu." Ashton applauded, "Very well done, Koga-sensei. You always did excel at Earth Style jutsu." He then looked down at the shinobi who, although they could not tell through his hood, was blushing in embarrassment at his capture. Koga then asked, "Now then, your attire seems to match those of the mysterious shinobi that have been spotted now in then. Are you not?" Knowing that he had no hope of escaping or fighting back should Koga try to kill him, the shinobi decided to cooperate. "I am." Koga then smirked, "I see. Then you have some explaining to do with the emperor."

A short while later, Ashton and Koga kneeled before the emperor in the imperial palace. Accompanying them was Laika, who refused to leave Ashton's side, and Chiara, who Ashton requested to join him. And kneeling before them was the captured shinobi. His arms were tried to his body with rope and a tag had been placed on each upper arm. They had been inscribed with an incantation that suppressed muscle activity, reducing his chances of escaping from his captors further. After removing his hood, they found that his skin tone matched the reports perfectly. He was bald and had very pale skin. His eyes were also an eerie yellow and a reptilian shape.

Koga explained, "This man attacked Ashton along with five others. The other five attempted to destroy him with a suicidal attack using paper bombs. But his training under my guidance paid off and he escaped without injury. I then captured this man before he could escape." The emperor spoke, "You are a member of the mysterious cult that has kept its tracks hidden for some time now. Just what is this cult and who is its leader?" The prisoner replied, "We have no names. Our organization has no identity. All that matters to us is the realization of our goal." The emperor then asked, "And those goals are…?" The prisoner grunted, "I can't reveal that to you. I am not permitted to do so to outsiders." Ashton then spoke, "No matter. Chiara?" The Lugia turned to face him, "Yes, my lord?" He then motioned towards the prisoner. The Lugia smirked, "I see."

Chiara stood up and stood behind the prisoner. "Hey. What are you doing to me?" Chiara smiled, "Don't worry. You might actually enjoy it." She then closed her large hands around his head as her eyes glowed a light blue. "Mmmm, such soft feathers…" The shinobi sighed as his bare flesh was caressed by Chiara hands. The Lugia soon muttered, "Resurrection….. Great Serpent…" Koga then whispered to Ashton, "Just what is she doing?" Ashton whispered back, "Isn't it obvious? She's reading his mind for the information we seek. Many Psychic type Pokémon are capable of it." Chiara continued to speak, "Ashton… Become an ally… Aid in mankind's…..subjugation…" Ashton grumbled, "Seems they were planning on recruiting me. And they intend to enslave humanity?" He then asked, "Chiara, just how do they intend to carry out their goal?" The Lugia nodded, "One moment." She then began to search deeper. "I can see something….. The image is becoming clear… It… It kind of looks like…" But before she could make out the form of what she was seeing, the head of the shinobi exploded in a burst of blood and brain matter.

Chiara staggered backwards out of shock, screaming in horror at what had happened. "What is this? What did I do? What happened?" The Lugia shuddered in fright at the sight of her hands and chest smeared with blood. The body of the shinobi had fallen forward, spilling its blood across the floor. Ashton gulped, "What the hell happened?" The emperor added, "Some sort of safeguard?" Koga nodded, "Most likely. This is an extremely effective means of keeping information from falling into the wrong hands. A series of traps are set into the shinobi's mind with an elaborate genjutsu. Should someone try to pry into the shinobi's mind to reap his knowledge, the shinobi dies in this manner, preventing any information from being salvaged by his enemies." Ashton shuddered, "To even throw away the lives of their allies in order to keep their goals secret until they've been reached….. Whatever their goal is, it's clear saturated with black intent. And what did Chiara mean? Resurrection? Great Serpent?" He then turned to Koga, "Sensei, do you suppose this Great Serpent is the Yamata no Orochi?"

The emperor gasped, "Orochi? How would an outsider such as yourself know of that legend?" Ashton smiled, "Oh that. Master Koga gave me a scroll upon his departure from Rohta depicting various legends from this land. He even translated them for me. Fascinating tales. And I have to say the legend of the Yamata no Orochi is my favorite." Koga frowned, "As much as I am pleased that you enjoyed my gift, I seriously doubt the Yamata no Orochi is their goal. It is only a legend. And the legend claims that the Orochi covered eight hills and eight valleys. If something that large truly existed, there must have been significant evidence left behind. But after all these years, there has never been a report of where the Orochi may have been slain. And of course, if the Orochi never existed, the Orochi cannot be resurrected." Ashton nodded, "I see your point. Still, that story was impressive nonetheless."

The emperor spoke, "If their goal is to enslave humanity, then we cannot allow them to succeed. Koga, take Ashton and hunt down the cult's leader." But Ashton asked, "But how are we supposed to find them?" The usually silent Laika then spoke, "I'll handle it. I'll just follow the scents of those thugs back to where they came from." Chiara, who had washed the blood out of her feathers with a Water Gun, smiled, "Brilliant, Laika." Koga then turned to Ashton, "How about it? Will you accept this mission?" Ashton sighed, "Their goal is almost no different than Captain Lance's goal of unleashing genocide on the human population of Rohta. Of course I'll go." The emperor then nodded, "Thank you. I will make sure you are greatly rewarded when you return from this mission. Good Luck." With a bow, the four guests left the palace as a few of the emperor's servants cleaned up the mess made by the prisoner's corpse.

That night at the Akatsuki Inn, Ashton slipped out of his armor and began to put on a shinobi's robe and pants. He slid on gloves that left his fingers uncovered and had a metal plate on the back of each hand. He then slid on tabi socks and sandals that looked more like a pair of boots. But unlike boots, the toes extended at the bottom. They were most likely designed to provide the protection of a boot while still allowing the wearer to feel through his toes. It may be that they were also designed this way to reduce the chances of the footwear from falling off by accident, a common mishap with sandals. But as he was about put on his hood, a voice spoke, "Whatcha doing, Ashy?" The viscount turned to the door and found Laura floating there.

"Laura?" Ashton asked as the Latias floated over to him. "Ooh, looking good, Ashy!" The viscount grumbled, "Tell me. How many times have I told you to not call me that?" The Latias giggled, "All right, All right. I'll stop. But really, that's a really cool outfit! What's it for?" Ashton replied, "This is the attire for a shinobi. They are stealth warriors that usually operate under the cover of night. To this affect, they were dark clothing that does not make much noise. I'll be wearing this when I meet up with Master Koga as I am aiding him on a mission tonight." Laura then asked, "But why aren't you wearing your armor?" Ashton grinned, "Because…..it makes too much noise. Even the slightest clank would give away my presence." Laura then looked over her master as he put on his hood. The hood covered his entire head, but still revealed his eyes. A simple metal plate was in front of his forehead for extra protection. His entire outfit was a very dark blue. "Ashton, I gotta say you always look good in blue!" Laura said with a wink. Ashton smiled, "Thank you. Now then, I must be off. I should be back by morning." He then placed the Flamberge on his back and set out to the bridge where he had been attacked that day.

It did not take long for Ashton to reach the scorched remains of the bridge. Koga and Laika were already there. "You look like a true ninja in that outfit, Ashton." Koga said with a smile. Along with his usual dark purple garb, Koga had outfitted himself with a pair of tanto swords, one on his hip and the other on his back. Ashton grinned, "It's thanks to you that I'm a ninja at all. But when all is said and done, I'm more of a knight than anything." He then looked down at Laika, "Lead on, Laika." The albino Mightyena nodded and sniffed the ground. She silently led the two shinobi to the edge of town. Shortly after passing the town gates, Laika stopped. "The scent heads west." But before they could go any further, a voice called out from behind them, "Aren't you forgetting something, brother?"

Ashton turned to face the town gates and saw his seven other servants standing there while being gently illuminated by a pair of torches on the walls. "Shouldn't you girls be in bed?" Zandria smirked, "Not a chance! We know that this mission you're on is dangerous. So we're gonna back you up." Ashton groaned, "Oh no you're not. You are to remain here until I return." But Chiara then asked, "If we can't come, then why is Laika accompanying you two?" Ashton replied, "We need her to follow my assailants' scents. She will lead us straight to them." Ruby then spoke, "What about me? My nose is just as good as hers!" Ashton grumbled, "I don't want to endanger anyone else. You are to remain here until I return." But Cassandra cried out, "Lord Ashton…" He then shouted, "That's an order!"

The seven servants stood silently at Ashton's command. But soon, Aurora took a step forward. "Aurora… Do you defy me?" Ashton said with a hint of fake malice in his voice. The Suicune nodded, "Yes. I defy your order, but I do not defy you. It is the same with all of us. We want to stay with you on this mission. To insure you return safely." She then walked right up to him and spoke, "Please…my lord. Allow us to escort you. We are capable of defending ourselves. We will not hinder your progress." Ashton sighed, "Very well. If you are dead set on staying with me, then so be it. Just be aware that our lives will be at stake here. One mistake could be your last." Laura screamed, "Don't worry about a thing, Ashton! We'll watch your back!"

The seven ladies walked past the town gates towards their master. But before Serenade could cross the border, Ashton threw up an arm, "No, sister. You wait here." Serenade then asked, "Ashton, I can carry my own weight. I won't be a burden." But Ashton shook his head, "As much as I want you to be at my side, I'm all too aware of your handicap. If you can't use psychic force, you won't be able to defend yourself. You'll only get yourself hurt. Or worse. You must stay here. Otherwise, you'll only…" But Serenade's face turned a slight red and she screamed, "ASHTON REDFORD CRIMSON! I AM COMING WITH YOU AND THAT IS FINAL!" Ashton froze in terror at his sister's outburst. Ruby whispered, "Whoa…. Who knew lady Serenade could be so scary?" Chiara giggled, "She doesn't do that very often. She only uses his full name like that when she wants to get her point across." Ashton groaned, "I really hate it when you call me that…" But the Gardevoir gently set a hand on his shoulder, "Ashton. I promise I will not be a burden. I have developed a new combat style since arriving in the Far East. If I was the same Gardevoir I was when we arrived here, yes. I would stay behind without question. But I know I can defend myself and you." Ashton sighed as he gazed into her red eyes, "Very well. If you are so certain you can help this mission succeed, then please come along."

Ashton led the ladies a little further away from the village before he and Koga jumped up onto some thick tree branches. "Come on! We have to move swiftly through the trees to avoid any ground traps!" Chiara, Laura, and Ruby made their way up to them without a problem, and Serenade used telekinesis to levitate herself up to her brother, but the others simply looked up at them with a nervous gaze. Koga called down, "Don't worry. Jumping from branch to branch is easier than it sounds!" But Zandria called back, "That's not the problem! Just how are we supposed to get up there? Wha?" To her shock, Zandria found herself floating upwards on her own! Once she was standing on a tree branch, Chiara asked, "Better?" But being Dark types, Laika and Cassandra were out of luck. But Ashton and Koga jumped down to them and simply carried them up to the branches. "What about me?" Aurora called up from the ground. "Um, yes. I fear you may be too large for this. You might not be able to leap from branch to branch without your feet slipping." Aurora nodded, "I see. I suppose I could follow your scent. I won't fall behind!" Ashton smiled, "Well said. Which way, Laika?" The Mightyena sniffed the air, "To the west." Following the Mightyena, the squad made their way to the west through the trees while Aurora stayed right under them.

After several minutes of following Laika's lead, Ashton frowned, "It's too quiet. I was expecting an ambush by now." He then turned to Ruby, who trying to stay near him as they leapt through the trees. "Ruby, could you try searching for the Aura of any possible enemies?" She nodded and closed her eyes as she searched for Aura signatures. A moment later, she spoke, "There's thirty of them coming up from behind!" Aurora called up to them, "Thirty?" Koga nodded, "They will most likely break off into groups of three to take on the ten of us." But Ashton shook his head, "You and I may be able to take on three at once, but some of us can't! Let's face them together!"

As their pursuers closed in, Ashton signaled for them to slow down. "We don't have the kind of experience for a duel while on the move! Let's stop and face them here!" At that moment, they stopped and turned to face their enemies. But it took longer than they expected for them to arrive. Zandria tapped her foot impatiently, "If they're gonna attack, what's holding them up?" But a voice replied, "We were taking our time because we decided to surround you!" Zandria got a startled look on her face as she looked around. Positioned on tree branches were precisely thirty masked shinobi.

Ashton looked around, "Ten against thirty. If we're careful, we may get by this." But one of the shinobi replied, "Actually, we did not come here to fight, Lord Ashton of Green Mile." Koga then asked, "If you did not come here to stop us, then what is your plan?" The shinobi replied, "We have only one last duty to perform. The High Priest will handle the final steps of the resurrection." With that, all of the shinobi pulled open their shirts to reveal a mass of paper bombs attached to them.

"Oh no…" Ashton gulped as his face turned pale. "Farewell, Lord Ashton!" The paper bombs began to glow as they were about to detonate. Out of desperation, Ashton screamed, "EVERYONE, DIVE!" As the paper bombs engulfed the treetops in a massive explosion, Ashton and his allies jumped from the branches and fell into a freefall to the ground. But it was too long of a drop. As Aurora looked up in shock at the explosion and the sight of her comrades falling towards her, she unleashed a powerful Gust to slow their fall, causing them to land quite gently.

After catching their breath from the near death experience, Laura growled, "Why do they keep blowing themselves up?" Aurora also complained, "I can't understand it either. It's as if they have no regard for their own lives." But Koga nodded, "Perhaps they don't. After all, that captured shinobi claimed that only their goal is important to them." Ashton then asked, "But why so many at one time?" Koga brought a hand to his chin, "The more shinobi, the more paper bombs that could be used. I wouldn't be surprised if those thirty shinobi were the last remaining members of this cult. They threw everything they had at us, as an explosion from that many paper bombs would be extremely difficult to escape from." Ashton then added, "Not quite all of them. Their leader still remains. And I'm certain that he will do whatever it takes to survive long enough to complete his objectives." But then Laika snorted, "Ugh… What a stench…"

Ruby walked over to Laika and asked, "Something wrong, Lady Laika?" The Mightyena groaned, "Smells like we're near a pile of corpses. It smells like rotting flesh." Ruby frowned, "Strange. Those guys must've been destroyed by that explosion." She then searched for more Aura signatures. But all she saw was the Auras of her companions. "Doesn't look like there's anyone out there." But just then, a faint shuffling sound could be heard as something moved through the underbrush towards them. Serenade brought a hand to her face, "I can smell it now… Whatever that stench is coming from must be getting closer."

The ten companions stood at the ready for whatever might come at them. But soon, an army of humans emerged from the forest around them. They seemed to be a ragtag group, comprised of shinobi, soldiers, and various other types of fighters. But Ruby checked for other Aura signatures again. She then shrieked, "What is this? I can't sense their Auras at all!" Koga then replied, "That's because they do not have any! Take a closer look!" Every single being that stood before the group had dull complexions and blank expressions. They almost resembled dried-out corpses. "These are most likely Ninja Art Cadaver Puppets. Think of them as being reanimated corpses having been restored to the point where they can fully function the way they could in life. They feel no pain and are completely mindless. And the process of creating one is a strictly forbidden art." Cassandra groaned, "Corpses? No wonder they smell so bad."

Ashton grabbed the Flamberge by the hilt and brought it to his side. "Corpses or not, they can't harm us if they can't control their limbs." But just then, the Cadaver Puppets began to shuffle to the sides as if making a path for someone. The sound of armor clanking could be heard as something approached them. Once the being stood before the pack of corpses, Ashton nearly dropped his weapon in utter disbelief at the sight of what stood before him. In its hand was an Ahlspiess spear, its blade somewhat rusty from being exposed to the elements for too long. "Impossible….. YOU?"

Ruby felt rage building inside her as she glared at the reanimated body of Lance. Like the other Cadaver Puppets, he was silent and soulless. "How can you still be alive? I made sure you were dead!" But Ashton replied, "Don't bother, Ruby. This may be Lance's body, but his soul is gone. It's just an empty shell." The Cadaver Puppets then began to approach their prey, but the corpse of Lance stood where it was. Ashton called out, "The rest of you handle the others! Lance is mine and mine alone!" The body of Lance then gave a hand single that seemed to tell the other Cadaver Puppets that Ashton was his opponent and not theirs. Koga then spoke, "Once you're done here, help us out with these!" He, along with the ladies, ran off into the woods with the other Cadaver Puppets close behind. Ashton then gripped the Flamberge tightly, "It is time I finish what I started, you traitor! I don't care if you're just a puppet or not! I will tear you apart for enslaving such a gentle creature!" Lance simply took his spear in both hands and stood at the ready.

Koga came to a stop and drew both tanto swords, one in each hand. "Now, let them come!" One of the Cadaver Puppets came at him with a katana sword and tried to catch him with an overhead swing. But Koga sidestepped the slash and cleaved the body in two at the waist. "Although just as dangerous as if they were still living, they are somewhat fragile." Numerous Cadaver Puppets came at him then, but he performed quick slices with his swords at speeds that almost no one could track.

Zandria extended the claws from her right hand, "OK, bring it, you piles of rotten meat!" The speedy Zangoose dashed past one of the puppets and sliced a leg off before doing the same to its arms. Another puppet tried to get her with a spear, but Zandria ducked it and thrust her claws up, catching the pole between her claws. With a twist of her hand, she pulled the weapon from its wielders' hands. She then impaled the puppet and slashed it with her claws. But it was then she noticed that the spear was actually more of a halberd. "Nice. I always was more for cutting than skewering." She then gave a swing at some approaching puppets, cleaving their heads from their bodies.

Cassandra danced her way around incoming attacks with her lithe body. While evading, she slashed away at her foes with the curved blade on the side of her head. "Wait… If I can use Razor Wind to make bush sculptures…" She then got some distance from her enemies and raised her head. "Here it comes!" She then gave a hard swing with her head, creating a powerful gust. She watched in awe as the Razor Wind sliced away at the Cadaver Puppets, effectively reducing them to mulch. "I wonder if they would make good fertilizer….. No way! I can't stand the smell, so forget about touching it!"

Ruby came at her foes with brute strength. Her powerful blows tore away at their weak flesh with little resistance. "I'm not a weakling! I must fight for Ashton's sake!" She crushed the skull of one puppet with a heel drop, then leapt from the body before it could fall towards another puppet and liquefied it with a Force Palm. "It turned into mush? Are they really that frail?" But when she heard more Cadaver Puppets coming at her from behind, Ruby turned and launched a mighty Aura Sphere at them. As the wave of Aura engulfed them, the Cadaver Puppets were reduced to dust by the sheer intensity of the blast. "Yeah! Keep them coming! We Lucario are at our best on the battlefield!" Ruby shouted as she stood on one foot while beckoning the other corpses to attack her.

Serenade used her new taijutsu skills to direct her opponent's attacks away from her. Never moving from her positioned, she lured her opponents close and then sent them crashing into the great trees around them with a powerful thrust from her palm. "I will not be a burden to my brother! I will not falter!" But after sending another Cadaver Puppet crashing through a tree, she saw another puppet swinging a kusarigama, a sickle with a chain attached that ended with a heavy iron orb. The puppet then sent the heavy ball flying straight at Serenade's head, but she held up a hand and caught the ball with psychic force just before it could actually touch her. She then sent it flying back at the puppet, creating a large hole through its torso as it shot right through it. She then rose up a large rock that was near her feet and levitated it in front of her. Then, with a telekinetic pulse, she shattered the rock into countless fragments. The pebbles shot through the air at nearly supersonic speed, making the Cadaver Puppets around her look like Swiss cheese as they tore through their bodes, leaving countless little holes in them.

Laika tore away at her foes with great primal fury as her undying grudge against humanity guided her. Although no longer alive, her enemies were still humans and to her, they were her sworn enemies. With a look in her eyes that could kill, she leapt onto her opponents and tore large chunks out of their heads with her fangs, oblivious to the foul taste. But at times when they were about to overwhelm her in sheer numbers, Laika would dart away and create a large opening by blasting the gathered corpses with a Shadow Ball, destroying a number of them while scattering the rest.

"Can't catch me!" Laura shouted as she darted through the trees while making her foes waste their arrows. Some of her enemies were armed with crossbows. But the tricky Latias would sometimes charge right through the enemy ranks with a Zen Headbutt, bowling them over. She would also send a flurry of Mist Balls, breaking them to pieces from the force of the blast. "Wow, you things are really lame! I know the dead don't walk, but you can't fight either!" Of course, Laura's jeering had no affect on the Cadaver Puppets as they had no mind to process her words. But this did not stop them from trying to get to her.

Chiara sent countless Cadaver Puppets soaring with the deadly Aeroblast. Those that were struck directly were even torn to shreds by the hurricane-force winds that it created. "You're nothing more than pitiful piles of earth! How can you harm me when you can't even touch me?" Her eyes then glowed a light blue as some of the puppets froze in their tracks. Moving her fingers like those of a puppet master, the midget Lugia made some of the Cadaver Puppets turn their weapons on their allies. "This should be fun. Time to put their minds to good use. That is, if they have any."

Aurora sent wave after wave of water crashing against the Cadaver Puppets that stood before her. But while some were crushed by the crashing waves, most were left virtually unscathed. "This calls for a different approach." She then looked up and shot a torrent of water upwards. She then followed up with an Ice Beam that froze the water into countless icicles. As they fell back to the ground, she closed her eyes. "I'm not used to this, but if I can just…" Before the icicles could hit the ground, they stopped and hovered in midair. "Now….." Using the rare move known as Extrasensory, she sent the many icicles into the Cadaver Puppets like a shower of throwing knives. Rows of them fell as they were skewered by the barrage of cold needles. Aurora smiled, "I'll have to remember that one."

Ashton let out a yell as he swung the Flameberge at Lance, who blocked the blow with his spear. The fallen knight then made a low sweep with the blade, but Ashton jumped it and even kicked his former mentor in the face. But the corpse hardly flinched as it was pushed away by the impact. "It's true. You feel no pain at all." Ashton grumbled as the Cadaver Puppet charged Ashton with its Ahlspiess spear out in front of it. But the viscount shouted, "Forget it! I'm not holding back on you at all this time!" He then made a few hand signs and gripped the Flamberge with both hands as he turned the blade sideways. "Wind Style!" He then gave a hard horizontal swing, "Cyclone Scythe Jutsu!" A powerful blast of air sent Lance flying backwards and crashing into a tree as a number of trees around him were sliced in two. But as the towering trees fell toward Lance, the knight stood up and began to swing its spear around so that the blade would strike the trees. To Ashton's shock, each slice cleaved the trees in two, causing the pieces to fall past it. "That spear may seem rusty, but it's even sharper than I remember. It must be just as sharp and durable as the Flamberge."

During his battle against the Cadaver Puppets, Koga became separated from the ladies. The veteran shinobi made quick work of his targets as they could not even touch him. "Come now! Is this the best the dead can offer?" But a moment later, Koga heard a deep voice call out, "Katon!" Koga then turned to face a long row of Cadaver Puppets, "Katon? That's…!" The voice then called out, "Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" At that instant, a massive wall of fire came blazing towards Koga, engulfing the Cadaver Puppets in its path! "Need to be quick!" Koga made a few hand signs and placed both hands on the ground, "Earth Style: Terra Shield!" As he finished the call, a wall of stone shot up in front of him, blocking the flames as they roared past him.

Once the flames stopped coming, Koga cancelled the jutsu, causing the wall to retract into the ground. He looked ahead at the burning remains of the Cadaver Puppets. Not one was left standing. But he then saw a lone Cadaver Puppet approach him. Its skin tone and expression was no different from the rest. But when Koga saw the eyes, he froze. "Those eyes….. You're a…!" The eyes were blood red with three black tomoe symbols apart from each other like the points of a triangle with a black dot in the center. "I never imagined that I would face off against a wielder of the Sharingan. So this one is an Uchiha." Koga widened his stance and gripped the hilts of his swords. "My level of genjutsu will be useless against this opponent if the rumors I've heard are true. I'll just have to use whatever I can."

The revived Uchiha charged Koga with great speed that was befitting a shinobi. Koga answered in kind and met his foe with swords drawn. The Uchiha countered with a pair of kunai and they began to lash out with strikes from their weapon. A shower of sparks illuminated the darkness with each clash of their weapons. (The rumors are true. The Uchiha are indeed fearsome in combat.) Once Koga got some distance with a quick leap backwards, he made a few hand signs and shouted, "Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bomb!" As he said that, a large dragon head composed of the very ground itself rose up in front of him and opened its jaws. It then fired a barrage of hardened earth at the Uchiha. But the Uchiha performed the exact same technique and countered the attack, cancelling the jutsu. "He matched my hand signs perfectly! So this is the power of the Sharingan!" Koga grumbled, "Even ninjutsu is useless. He would just copy my hand signs to cancel out my attack with his own. That only leaves taijutsu." Taking a firm stance, Koga drew one sword while keeping the other sheathed. "Come at me, master of the Sharingan!"

Ashton was making little progress against Lance as his spear was more durable than before, rendering all attempts to shatter it useless. "No matter how hard I hit it, that lance just won't break!" Ashton growled as he started to feel tired out from the fight. But being a corpse, Lance could not feel the strain of battle. Ashton roared and took several swings at his former mentor, who countered each strike with one of his own, sending the Flamberge away by striking the blade with his own.

Ashton wheezed, "I can't keep this up forever. But there must be something that will work!" He then jumped backwards and placed the Flamberge on his back. (Come on, take the bait.) Ashton gulped as he waited to see if Lance would attack while he was unarmed. Sure enough, Lance charged the viscount with the head of his spear pointing at Ashton. But as Lance closed in, Ashton took a deep breath and then let out a roar as an immense stream of fire erupted from his mouth! Lance had no way of anticipating the attack and was blown backwards and pinned to a tree by the sheer force of the flames. Ashton did not let up and continued blasting the Cadaver Puppet with his Fire Style jutsu.

After a moment of frying his enemy, Ashton took a breather. Lance was now engulfed in flames, but did not seem to be feeling any pain. "I doubt you know this, but since I can create fire at will, I don't need to waste my time making hand signs to perform Fire Style ninjutsu. And it conserves Chakra too. What I just got you with was a Dragon Flame Bomb. Now to wrap things up." Taking the Flamberge in both hands, Ashton made a dash towards his former mentor. "It ends here, traitor!" But as Ashton closed in, the burning body of Lance held up its spear, but only held it at the side. Ashton pushed on, and then impaled the undead knight on his blade. But he stood ready for a possible counterattack. But when he pulled the blade out, the body only dropped to its knees and fell flat on its face. Ashton breathed a sigh of relief, "Rest in pieces. Now to find Master Koga."

Koga was having quite a hard time getting through the Uchiha's defenses as it could watch his movements with ease. "It's no good. I'm just not fast enough. I knew the Uchiha are mighty…..but this…" But a voice called out, "Are you well, Koga-sensei?" The shinobi turned to face his former student, who came bursting out of the trees. "I dealt with Lance. How are you holding up?" Koga simply pointed, "Not well. This Cadaver Puppet is a former Uchiha, the wielders of the Sharingan. Genjutsu and ninjutsu are useless against it. They would just read your hand signs and use the same jutsu to count yours." But Ashton chuckled, "What hand signs?" He then turned to the Uchiha and surprised them both with a Dragon Flame Bomb.

The Uchiha showed a tiny hint of shock as it made a desperate dive to the sides to evade the blast of flames. Koga turned to his former student, "Ashton! How did you…?" Ashton smiled, "I can use Fire Style ninjutsu without using Chakra! Just don't ask me how!" Koga then smirked, "I see. Well then, care to back me up? Create a diversion and I'll handle the rest." Ashton nodded, "Yes, master!" He then made a dash for the Uchiha, who stood ready for a frontal assault. But Ashton then jumped above him and fire a Phoenix Flower down at him, creating a ring of fire around the Uchiha. Unable to see through the flames, the Uchiha looked around frantically.

Koga made a hand sign as he gripped both swords. Two flickering copies of him appeared at his side while making the same pose. And then, he vanished. A few seconds later, something shot through the wall of flames from three angles and struck the Uchiha simultaneously. At that point, the three assailants leapt skyward and came down upon the stunned Uchiha. With a crash, the three figures brought their swords down through the Uchiha's body all the way down to its feet. A few seconds later, the Cadaver Puppet split into several ribbon-like pieces. The other two figures vanished as the real Koga sheathed both swords, breathing a sigh of satisfaction.

Ashton walked over to his master as the flames surrounding him died out. "What in the world do you call that move?" Koga smiled, "It's something I developed on my own. I call it the Delta Strike." Ashton smiled, "Impressive. There's no way I could ever pull it off. But let's head back to that clearing. It sounds like the battle has ended."

Ashton and Koga made their way back to the clearing where Lance's body now rested. Waiting for them were all eight of Ashton's servants. Ashton asked, "Are you all well?" Cassandra nodded, "Yes. Those things were rather fragile. They were pretty easy to break." Ashton smiled, "Glad to hear it. But before we move on, I need just a moment." He then walked over to the scorched body of Lance. He looked it over carefully. "Hm, I'd say it's done." But when he turned to face his companions, Ashton froze when he felt something grab his ankle. He looked down at the Cadaver Puppet as it slowly looked up at him. But as he was about to grab the Flamberge, it spoke. "Ash…ton…"

Despite the knowledge of what Lance had attempted in Rohta, Ashton could not help but feel a sense of longing as he saw Lance give him a most kindly gaze. "Captain?" The fallen hero smiled, "You…have come far. I thank you for freeing me from that dreadful spell." Ashton kneeled down to his mentor as his servants silently watched. "Yes… I have no intention of harming you now. My time has passed. You have soared higher than I ever could have reached. I am proud to have played a part in your growth." Ashton could feel tears building in his eyes, "Captain…"

Lance sighed, "Ashton, there is something I must tell you. And I must say it now. This reanimated corpse of mine is already on the verge of being reduced to a pile of dust." Ashton listened, "Go on. I'm all ears." Lance's tone then became one of extreme seriousness. There is something you must know…..about the final moments of my life. That little Lucario of yours… She was not the one who dealt the final blow." Ashton asked, "Ruby? She didn't…?" Lance nodded, "That attack she blasted me with gravely wounded me, but I survived. I ended up in the forests to the east. But as I rested my body, someone….or rather, something…found me."

Ashton asked, "Something?" Lance nodded, "Yes. Something that seemed to resemble a hulking knight, wielding a sword not that much unlike your own. It was dark, so I could not make it out very well. But I am certain that whatever that beast was, it most definitely was not human." Lance continued, "I don't know how, but it extracted my soul, my very being, form my still-living body. And I watched as my own body was impaled by that beast's sword before it was tossed aside like a ragdoll. I then found myself in a bizarre realm. And there…" Lance shuddered as he continued, "I saw them. Thousands upon thousands of souls! Perhaps millions! They were all screaming for salvation. To be released from this prison. Whatever that beast was, it devoured my very soul, and I was now residing in some sort of demonic prison! And yet….." Lance calmed down slightly, "Whoever cast that spell that returned me to this realm extracted my soul from that prison. I was rescued from that hell. And when this body gives out, I will move own to a true afterlife."

Ashton asked, "Why are you telling me this?" Lance then replied, "You, more than anyone, know that Pokémon have souls like we do." Ashton's eyes went wide with fear as he understood what Lance meant. "Yes, you get it now. If that thing feeds on the souls of the living, then it is only a matter of time before it targets the Pokémon that reside in the kingdom of Rohta." Lance then tightly gripped Ashton's hand, "Promise me… Promise me that you will protect them from this monster! Do not allow that demon to make the Pokémon of Rohta suffer anymore than they already have!" But Ashton asked, "And what about the humans of Rohta?" Lance scowled, "It does not matter to me. They can all rot, for all I care. I still stand by my actions. But…" Lance then gave Ashton a pleading gaze, "Do not let that beast take another soul. No matter what it takes, find and destroy it!" At that point, Lance's body began to crumble to dust. "Promise me….. You are the hope of the Pokémon of Rohta…"

Ashton silently watched as his mentor disappeared for the last time. "I see. So that is why you did not strike me when I dealt the final blow a little while ago. You wanted me to live on for them. To protect them." He then stood up, "Thank you, Captain. I will find that monster. And I will slay it with my own hands." He then turned to face his companions, "Let's move on."

A short while later, Laika led her companions out of the forest and into a vast open meadow that was being bathed in the moonlight. Laika spoke, "The scent is a bit fainter here. This must be where it originates from." Ruby then tried to sense any Aura signatures. "There's someone up ahead. And it's alone." With caution, they pressed on.

The ten companions continued on until they came to a shallow valley. And standing at the center was a lone figure. Ashton silently signaled for the others to stay back as he approached the lone figure. Once he was about ten feet from it, he stopped. The person who stood before Ashton had its back turned.

"Excuse me. We are searching for the leader of a mysterious cult. Do you happen to know anything that might point us in the right direction?" But the person began to chuckle in a dark tone. Then, in a quiet and raspy voice, it replied, "The leader, you say?" It then slowly turned to face the viscount. "You're looking right at him." When the two locked eyes, Ashton felt a trickle of cold sweat drip from his brow. As he gazed into the yellow reptilian eyes of the man, he could feel a type of malevolence that was completely alien to him. He had very pale skin and had slender purple markings just above his eyes that trailed down below them toward the center of his face. He wore an elegant white robe that seemed befitting of a holy man and had long black hair.

"Ashton of Green Mile. I welcome you to the Far East. And with your aid, we will bring humanity to its knees."


	18. Duel with a Demon

A chilling breeze blew across the valley as Ashton and his companions stood before the man who led the sinister cult that had been lurking about. And even Ashton was trembling in fright at his very presence. Whoever this man was, he was a being of great evil.

"Ashton Redford Crimson. Or should I say Ketchum? Whichever you prefer. It is a true honor." The pale man then slowly walked forward to the viscount. Ashton's breathing became erratic as he reached for the Flamberge. But just before he reached him, the man stopped. He then extended a hand. "If it is not too much trouble, may I shake your hand?" Ashton gave the man a baffled look, but slowly reached for his hand as he carefully eyed the mysterious man. But when they joined hands, the man gave a gentle shake without a hint of malice. "Why do you fear me so? I am not your enemy. You are my guests." He gave a calm smile to reinsure the viscount. Ashton calmed slightly, but was still wary.

Ashton asked, "So, you are the leader of the suicidal cult who tried to kill me? Just who are you?" The man replied, "Like the rest of them, I have no name. In this order, names are meaningless. The only thing of importance to us is our goal. But if you must call me anything, I suppose you may address me as the High Priest." Ashton frowned, "High Priest? Surely there's a better name. But whatever. Why did your henchmen try to kill me with suicide attacks?" The High Priest replied, "It was only a test to see if you were the man I had heard of. And sure enough, you escaped those attacks without a scratch." Ashton frowned, "OK, but why did they have to die in the process?" The High Priest replied, "There was nothing left for them to do. Our goal is now in reach. Tonight, our master will return to this world."

Ashton frowned, "And who is your master?" The High Priest chuckled, "I'm certain you've heard of him. The great Yamata no Orochi." Ashton remained silent for a moment before letting out a laugh, "Now that's a good one! You really are a total nutcase! It's true that the legend of the Yamata no Orochi is a truly fascinating tale, but something like that could not have possibly existed! There would surely be some proof somewhere, and there is not." But the High Priest soon began to cackle wildly. At this point, Koga walked forward. "What? You think you actually found some proof?" The High Priest calmed down and gave them a sly smirk, "Tell me something. Why would someone go through the trouble of making up such a grand story if it was not the least bit true?"

Koga gave the High Priest a shocked glance at his question. He continued, "Do you honestly believe someone would make up such a grand lie for the entertainment and fascination of others? Why would anyone do such a thing? Spreading lies that would become legends? Such a person would be executed for spreading false information and spreading confusing throughout the land." The High Priest smiled, "Tell me. Do you recall if anything was found on the Orochi's corpse after Susano slew it?" Ashton brought a hand to his chin, "If memory serves, the story claims that he discovered the Kusanagi. But does such a weapon truly exist? It was never stated what happened to it afterwards." But the High Priest chuckled, "True. The Kusanagi vanished from history for a time. However….." He then pressed his hands against his abdomen as he looked straight up and opened his mouth wide. To everyone's shock, a snake of some sort stuck up out of his mouth and opened its own mouth. And from that mouth came a sword. But unlike the swords of the Far East, it was only single edged. It shot up a short distance before the blade turned downwards as it fell. But before it could touch the ground, the High Priest grabbed it in one hand as the snake in his throat vanished. "After much toil and time, I found it. This is the Kusanagi, known to the Far West as the Grass Long Sword." It was indeed a long sword. The blade was somewhat long and the hilt was long enough for two hands to grip it.

Ashton marveled at the blade before him. "The Grass Long Sword….. So it does exist…" The High Priest then held the hilt out to him, "Would you care to examine it?" Ashton smiled, "Yes, thank you!" As he took the sword in hand, his eight servants came over to look at it as well. Ashton examined the blade, "The blade is straight. It looks like that of a broadsword back home. But I thought swords from this land are curved." The High Priest replied, "It is said that the Kusanagi was crafted during the Bronze Age when all blades were straight, long before the curved blades of today were forged." Ashton nodded and handed the sword back to him. "Such a magnificent blade. Still, while it does have some connections to the legend, I still do not see how the Orochi could have lived without leaving behind some sort of proof of its existence. Considering its size, the bones left behind after its death must've been absolutely massive."

The High Priest smiled, "The details are sketchy, but I assure you the Orochi will be revived tonight. And with your aid, my dear Ashton, the human race will kneel before our master." Ashton then asked, "Just what do you mean by 'kneel'? Do you mean the human race will see Orochi as a leader and guide?" The High Priest smirked, "Perhaps. That is, after he's eaten his fill. Orochi was quite taken with the flavor of humans." Ashton gagged, "That's more than I need to know. And just what made you think I would aid you in your mission?" The High Priest replied, "Because I know of your grudge against humanity. How you desire to make them suffer for the harm they inflict on Pokémon every day."

Ashton was silent for a moment, but he shook his head, "No, you misunderstood my grudge. I do bring swift punishment on the worst of the humans who subjugate Pokémon, but I do not despise my own kind. Once I find solid proof that Pokémon have souls like we do, the queen will have no choice but to make it so that Pokémon are the same as humans. When that happens, they will learn and will eventually come to understand the truth." But the High Priest cackled, "How naïve. You really think they will be that accepting of such a change?" But Ashton nodded, "I do. They may be reluctant at first, but I'm sure they would adapt and even embrace the change in time. Besides, just how would I be of aid to you? I'm not that special."

The High Priest smirked, "Nothing special? Absurd. You don't understand just how rare it is for a human to be gifted with the Eternal Flame." Ashton raised an eyebrow, "Eternal Flame?" Serenade's eyes went wide with tension. (He knows?) The High Priest laughed, "Do you honestly believe that your control over fire is nothing more than some freak pyrokinetic trick? No. It's far more than that. Do you recall how you destroyed the Night Hawk? Or how you sent Archibald and the Leviathan to the bottom of the sea on your own?" Ashton's eyes went wide with surprise, "How do you know of that? I can't…remember how it happened…" He then grabbed the High Priest by the shoulders and demanded, "What happened? What did I do?" But with a calm grin, he replied, "I believe your sister can explain it better than I can." Ashton, as well as everyone else, turned to Serenade, who had taken a few steps back. "Serenade?"

Ashton slowly approached his sister. "I know nothing of what he's talking about!" But Ashton continued towards her. "I know nothing! I swear it!" But Ashton placed a hand on her shoulder, "Sister…" Serenade then looked into the dark brown eyes of her brother. "Please… I need to know." Serenade relented for a moment, but she spoke, "I did not know at first. I only discovered the truth when we visited Mother and Father. After what you did to the Night Hawk, I wanted to know why you became that way." Ashton wanted to ask Serenade what he had become, but waited until she finished. "That night, Mother told me everything. She made me promise to never tell you, but I suppose you need to know now. Your mother, your true mother, was infected with a dreadful disease. Before you were born, you were infected too. And a few weeks after you were born, the illness had weakened you to the brink of death. Mother… She was delusional with grief. She prayed for a way to save you. And someone answered. Following a mysterious voice, she carried you to the Dead Forest in the night. And somewhere in that forest, she found her." Ashton asked, "Her?" Serenade nodded, "Ho-Oh. The phoenix. She saved you the only way she could. She infused her own with you. That power, the power of the phoenix, is the Eternal Flame."

Ashton staggered backwards at his sister's revelation. "Ho-Oh….. Her power…is my own?" But as he curled his hand into a fist, he turned to the High Priest. "So you wanted to recruit me since I am practically a human Ho-Oh. Correct?" The High Priest nodded, "Yes. The phoenix, Ho-Oh, constantly travels the sky. It is next to impossible to find it unless it stops to rest. And even then, it only does so in remote locations and only for brief periods. But why settle for that when you are just as capable of providing us with the same kind of strength?" He then asked, "So then, Vulcan Warrior, will you help us return our great master to this world?" Ashton gave a snort, "I still think you're certifiably insane if you think you can revive something that never existed. But even so…" He then grabbed the hilt of the Flamberge, "Seeing that you intend to unleash ruin upon the world, I can't let you live." Koga then grabbed the hilt of the sword on his back while the eight ladies took defensive stances as they spread out. The High Priest stood silent for a moment, but gave Ashton a malicious smirk. "So I see. Well then, if you will not aid us….." With his hair obstructing his right eye, and the Kusanagi resting in his right hand, the High Priest brought his left hand to his left eye and with one finger, pulled his eyelid down slightly, allowing for a clearer view of his yellow snake-like eye as he gazed at Ashton and all eight of his servants at one time. "…then you will die here as the first meal for my master."

Ashton's eyes went wide as he felt something come over him. Then, he heard a mass of great noise and metal cleaving flesh as his body was torn asunder. He heard himself scream in death, just before his head was torn from its body. But even then, he dropped to his knees, unscathed. "What the hell… I'm still whole?" But even though he was unharmed, Ashton could still feel a terrible sense of horror from what he had just witnessed. Koga, who had not been affected, shouted, "Ashton, what's wrong?" The viscount shuddered, "That was me….. I was a witness to the moment where I died…" The High Priest cackled, "Not just you. Take a look." He then made a sweeping motion with his arm as he pointed to Ashton's eight servants. They had all collapsed, their eyes spilling tears while showing signs of true horror.

"Them too?" But the High Priest shook his head, "Not quite. It wasn't their own deaths they witnessed." He then pointed at Ashton, "What they witnessed…was YOUR death." Ashton's eyes went wide with shock, "Mine?" The High Priest nodded, "Yes. To them, watching you die would be the same as them dying. They live for you, so your death would mean the end of their own reason for living." He then raised the Kusanagi, "But now that you know what will happen, will you reconsider my offer?" But Ashton surprised the High Priest with a laugh, "My death? Absurd. Now that you've shown how I would die, I know how to avoid it." He then climbed to his feet, his legs still a little shaky from the genjutsu he had been a victim of. He then gripped the hilt of the Flamberge, "I'm more curious to see how YOU will die." The High Priest then gave Ashton a smirk that reeked of malevolence, "I see. Don't disappoint me!"

The High Priest made a dash at Ashton with the kind of speed he had only seen in Zandria. But when the sinister shinobi took a swing at him with the Kusanagi, Ashton blocked the blade with the Flamberge. Ashton then made a wide swing with the blade, forcing the High Priest back. But then Koga made a lunge for him, swinging at him with both swords while the High Priest blocked them with the Kusanagi. He then made a counter slash, but Koga ducked and then kicked away with a blow to the chin.

"Ashton, give me a hand!" Koga shouted as he made a number of hand signs. "Aw, I get it!" Ashton placed the Flamberge on his back and ran up alongside his mentor. "All together now." In unison, they shouted, "Fire Style: Twin Dragon Flame Jutsu!" At that instant, two ropes of fire erupted from their lips and spiraled around each other as they soared towards the High Priest. Seeing there was no way around this attack, he made a great leap straight up. Once he had a clear view of his opponents, he held out both arms and shouted, "Striking Shadow Snakes!" At his call, several snakes shot forth from both sleeves of his robe and extended towards both fighters. "A summoning?" Ashton and Koga hacked away with their weapons to keep the snakes at bay, but two got through and sank their venom-filled fangs into their throats.

The High Priest dropped to the ground with his snakes still extending from his sleeves. "All too easy. I did warn them, after all…..hm? What's this?" Ashton and Koga seemed to turn into sculptures made of mud and began to sink as they lost their form. The High Priest called back his snakes and they returned to his sleeves. "A Substitution. Seems I underestimated that boy's abilities as a ninja. But then where did they…. OH NO YOU DON'T!" The High Priest made a quick back flip as Koga's hand shot up through the ground as he tried to grab his ankle with his Headhunter Jutsu.

As the High Priest landed on his feet, Koga shouted, "Now, Ashton!" Before the High Priest could react, Ashton stood behind him with the Flamberge in one hand as he prepared to cleave him in two. "It's over." With a wide horizontal slash, Ashton split the man in two at the waist. But as his upper torso was about to fall towards the ground, a slew of snakes shot forth from both halves and pulled them back together. Ashton jumped backwards, "What is he? Is he even human?" Once the wound had been closed, the High Priest looked ahead at Ashton, "Define what it means to be human." Just then, he realized that he had dropped his weapon when he evaded their Fire Style attack. "Wait… Where is the…?" But before the High Priest could see it, Koga had grabbed the Kusanagi. "You mean this?" But the High Priest smiled and raised a hand, "Return to me." As he said that, the blade of the Kusanagi began to glow a light blue. Seeing this, Koga placed a type of paper tag to the hilt. The blade returned to its natural color. The High Priest then surprised them with a smirk, "I see. So you nullified all external control of it. But now that I have both hands free, I can show you the extent of my knowledge of a shinobi instead of that of a swordsman."

The man made a few hand signs and spoke, "Do try to escape this one, dear Ashton." Out of instinct, Ashton made a few quick jumps backwards. But then, the High Priest's head suddenly shot out from his body as his neck rapidly extended! His face then showed extreme malice as his teeth became sharp. "He brings to mind a rokurokubi! Stay away from him!" Koga yelled as the High Priest closed in on Ashton. But before he could strike, something beheaded him at the base of his neck. Ashton turned to face the body and saw Zandria with her claws draped in blood. "You OK, Ashton?" But before the head could fall to the ground, its mouth opened as a large snake shot out towards Zandria!

Zandria saw the attack coming and jumped out of the way, causing the snake to get its head stuck in the ground. But its skin began to crack as something emerged from it. "Not bad at all. I thought you were still reeling from that little illusion I showed you." The Zangoose smirked, "I won't allow Ashton to die. And besides, we Zangoose have quite a taste for snakes." She then licked her lips as the High Priest gave her a spooked look. "Zangoose…..eat snakes?" Zandria replied, "Sure do. It's a staple of our diet." But the High Priest then grinned, "But what if this snake eats you first?" But before he could make a move, a massive explosion of wind sent him flying into a hillside. Ashton called out, "Nice one, Chiara!" The Lugia smirked, "Aeroblast. The ultimate wind assault."

The High Priest climbed to his feet, "Ten against one. I like those odds. Or is it ten against one thousand?" He then opened his mouth wide as his tongue hung out of it. He then lowered himself to the ground as a swarm of snakes emerged from his gaping jaws. They soon opened their mouths as well as blades coated in venom extended from them. As the wall of blades closed in on them, Ruby jumped in front of her companions and held her hands apart from each other. "I can handle this!" Soon, a sphere of red Aura began to form between them. "Let's see if the attack I used to finish off Lance works here too!" She then held her hands out in front of her as a massive Focus Blast engulfed the wall of serpents, erasing them all in mere seconds. The High Priest then had a very excited smile on his face. "These fighters…. These warriors of the Far West….. They intrigue me to no end!" But then, a voice spoke from behind him, "Aren't you forgetting someone?"

The High Priest turned to face the owner of the voice and found Serenade standing before him. But before he could do anything, she slammed her palm into his body, placing great pressure on his lungs as a telekinetic pulse pressed against them, preventing them from expanding. "Guh…! Can't breathe…" Serenade sent both palms crashing into the High Priest, sending him flying towards her allies at high speed. Cassandra then called out, "Stand clear!" She then sent two blades of wind at the incoming shinobi with the curved horn on her head. The blades sliced right through the man's shoulders, severing both arms instantly. But before he could actually hit the ground, Laika and Aurora sent a Shadow Ball and Aurora Beam into him simultaneously, causing him to hit the ground in a puff of smoke as the two attacks engulfed him in a loud blast.

"Ugh… Such teamwork…" The High Priest wheezed as he struggled to climb to his feet. Once he was standing, Laura made her move. She grabbed him around the chest with both arms and flew straight up at high speed. The G-force from moving at such high speed prevented the High Priest from fighting back at all as he could not even move his head. In just a moment, they were above the clouds as Laura gazed at the moon. "Just…where are we?" The High Priest asked. The Latias giggled, "We're above the clouds! This is about as high as I can fly! And now…" She then positioned herself so she was facing towards the ground. "It's time to say goodbye!" The High Priest shouted, "No… You wouldn't!" But Laura was not going to turn back now as she went into a freefall as she made a dive for the ground. The High Priest let out a scream of terror as he could do nothing to stop his captor from killing him at this point. After only a minute or so of falling, Ashton and his companions saw Laura come into view again and jumped backwards as she neared the ground. A second later, there was a very loud crash as she slammed the High Priest headfirst into the ground.

Laura stayed where she was for a moment as she saw just how close she had come from killing herself in the process. The ground was only an inch from her face, meaning that she was extremely lucky that the High Priest was tall enough for his head to extend past hers while she gripped him around the chest. She then let go and righted herself. The High Priest was now standing on the top of his head. His face had a look of absolute terror on it. Soon, his body fell forward onto its back. Everyone remained silent as they waited for a sign of life from him. Slowly, Serenade approached him and kneeled next to his head. She looked up at her brother, who gave her a nod.

Serenade pressed her hands against the man's head, whose eyes were now obstructed by his long black hair. After a moment, she gasped, "His brain… I've never heard of this kind of damage! It's as if it's been partially liquefied." Laika then coldly spoke, "In other words, he's dead." The Gardevoir nodded, "Yes. It seems that we succeeded." Koga breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness. Orochi or not, this man was a grave threat to this world. I thank you on behalf of the Far East for your assistance." Ashton also spoke, "We couldn't have done it without you girls." He then turned to Laura, "Especially you, Laura. That was quite a move you got him with." The shiny Latias giggled, "Hee hee! It was all for you, Ashy!" Ashton frowned, "I thought you promised to never call me that again."

Before the ten companions turned to leave, Ruby made one last check as she sensed for any Aura signatures nearby. Sure enough, there was no life left in the High Priest. But as they turned to leave, a voice asked, "It's not over. It is just beginning." Everyone turned to face the corpse of the High Priest and looked on in shock as the body began to slowly climb to its feet by placing one foot flat on the ground and then pulling itself up. It moved more like a puppet than a living creature now. And its face was still obscured by its hair.

"Not quite dead yet?" Aurora asked. But to their surprise, a new left arm grew from the left shoulder. Once it was fully restored, it reached up to the face and seemed to grab the skin near the left eye. With a tug, it tore some of the skin away as if it was a thin mask. It then moved the hair that was covering the left side of the face. To everyone's shock, some of the skin around the eye was gone. And underneath where it had been were black scales. The eye looked no less reptilian than before, but was now a crimson red. "Truly impressive, Ashton of Green Mile." The High Priest spoke. But now, it sounded as if nine voices were speaking at one time.

Koga shuddered, "Who…or what are you?" The mysterious creature cackled, "I am this world's new king. And I must say that this servant of mine did his duties very well. He originally planned to revive me on this very night. But I had instead returned to this world a few months ago, residing in his body without anyone ever suspecting it." Ruby then asked, "But…who are you?" The beast replied, "I'm sure you know by now. Of course, the only reason I perished that night long ago was because that foolish Susano got me drunk. Well, I won't be making that mistake again."

The beast began to cackle loudly as a dark Aura began to radiate from its body. A sinister light began to shine from the corpse. Ashton shouted, "Let's get outta here! NOW!" The ten of them made a mad dash for the edge of the forest that they had originally emerged from. But just before they could reach it, a massive shockwave blew them off their feet as something emerged from the High Priest's corpse.

Once Ashton and his companions had climbed to their feet and turned to face the valley, they were stunned by a towering sight of a monstrous eight-headed serpent that seemed to reach as high as the heavens itself while the end of its body could not even be seen from their location. They could not even see where the eight heads united.

Ashton felt a sense of dread and terror the likes of which he or anyone else had ever felt. As he gazed up at the towering demon, he whispered, "The Yamata no Orochi…."


	19. Angel of the Eternal Flame

Author's Chapter Notes:

The alarm is sounded as the Yamata no Orochi returns to the world of the living. Ashton and co. launch a desperate offensive to contain the beast, but when Ashton is devoured by the Orochi, the Eternal Flame within his soul ignites to its fullest. But when even the power of the phoenix proves to be not enough, Ashton will be forced to make a desperate last resort to protect the world and those he cherishes.

More Naruto tunes!

Sound the alarm - A Crisis after Another

Orochi's offer - Sasuke's Destiny

All-out Assault - Strong and Strike

The Eternal Flame - Confronting

The Angel Emerges - Emergence of Talents

The Phoenix Strikes - Reverse Situation

Orochi's Counterattack - Stalemate

Flashback - Strangeness

Ashton's Last Resort - Need to be Strong

Under the cover of night, a small unit of shinobi raced through the trees as they returned from their mission. Upon reaching the town, they wasted no time as they darted for the imperial palace. Without even alerting the guards, they made their way up to the emperor's sleeping quarters. While the rest stood outside, the leader entered without making a sound and kneeled before the emperor's bed.

"Sir, I know it is late, but I have urgent news to report." The shinobi spoke with an urgent tone in his voice. The emperor grumbled as he sat up in bed, "It better be good if you're waking me up at this hour." The shinobi, whose face was covered with a white mask that resembled the face of a fox, nodded, "We followed Ashton and Koga as you instructed. They encountered some resistance on the way, but managed to locate the leader of that bizarre cult. It was then that the leader confessed that their goal was to resurrect the Yamata no Orochi." The emperor laughed, "Fools. How could they hope to resurrect something that never existed?" The shinobi nodded, "I thought so too, sir. But even so, he attempted to slay Ashton and Koga. But they were able to overpower him and the leader was disposed of." The emperor nodded, "Thank goodness. I will be sure to reward them in the morning." But the shinobi added, "However, we made a disturbing discovery. It seems that the Yamata no Orochi does exist after all." The emperor gave the shinobi an alarmed glance, "And what makes you so sure of that?" The shinobi then stood up and raised his voice, "Because the Yamata no Orochi is standing in a great valley to the west as we speak!"

The emperor gasped as a trickle of cold sweat dripped from his brow, "It what?" The shinobi then grabbed the emperor and carried him to the top of the pagoda. He then pointed to the west. What the emperor saw in the distance made his face turn white in horror. Standing against the moonlight was a colossal serpent. "One…two…eight? It is indeed the Orochi!" The shinobi added, "It would seem that the leader summoned it with his dying breath." The emperor turned to the shinobi and shouted, "Send word to our allies! Every ninja available must move to destroy this beast! This is a national crisis! Have the soldiers standby to defend the townspeople!" The shinobi nodded before leaping from the pagoda to a tree below before making his way to the west with a swarm of countless of ninja as gongs were sounded throughout the town while one shinobi stayed behind to defend the emperor. "To think that such a demon existed… Do we even have the means to destroy it?"

Ashton stared up in sheer horror at the gargantuan beast that towered above him and his companions. "Orochi….. No, it can't be! Just what are you?" Upon hearing his request, one of the heads of the serpent lowered itself to the ground and stared at Ashton from just a few feet away. Its black scales shimmered in the moonlight and its crimson eyes seemed to glow. But unlike a snake, its head seemed to resemble that of an eastern dragon, complete with a beard and long whiskers. The head then spoke in a confident raspy voice, "You may call me Orochi."

Ashton took a few steps back, "Orochi? Impossible… How can you exist?" He then replied, "Did you remember what the High Priest said? Do you honestly believe that someone would go about spreading elaborate lies? There is always truth to legends." But Koga then shouted, "But how? Something as massive as you must have surely left behind some evidence after death!" The wise old shinobi froze as the eyes of the Orochi looked over at him. "True. After my death, my body decomposed, leaving only my bones behind. And as you can tell by the size of my body, they are just as large as you might imagine. But Susano understood that my soul remained intact as destroying such a thing is virtually impossible. He knew that certain demonic creatures may try to revive me if they learned of my existence. So he, along with many followers and friends, underwent a deed that took several decades to complete. They chiseled away my bones, bit by bit, and cast them into the sea. But by some miracle, the High Priest discovered truth behind the legend and found a way to bring me back."

One of the other seven heads of Orochi spoke with the same voice, "But even though I am back in my prime, I could use some followers." It then looked down at Ashton, "It's not too late, Ashton of Green Mile. Will you become my guardian and follower? I will need all the followers I can get when I become the new king of this world." Ashton gulped as sweat trickled down his face, soaking his hood. But he then looked over at his eight servants, who were all looking over at him as if awaiting orders. They showed signs of fear, but he could also see faith in their eyes. He then glanced over at Koga. He nodded, showing that the decision was up to him. The viscount then looked back over at Orochi and closed his eyes. (Judging by the size of this beast, crossing the ocean would be no challenge to him. Eventually, he will invade Rohta. So if I am to protect my home, I must stop him here…..)

Ashton slowly looked up at Orochi. A moment later, he gripped his hood and pulled it from his head. "Susano, the man who slew the Yamata no Orochi, was a swordsman of the Far East." He then gripped the hilt of the Flamberge, "I have sometimes pondered if a swordsman of the Far West could pull off the same thing." He then drew his blade as confidence filled his face. "I think it's time we find out." He then pointed his zweihander at the towering serpent, "Orochi! You have no place in this world. Allow me to send you back to where you belong!" He then glanced over at his eight servants. They all nodded with a smile, showing that they would aid him to the end. Koga smiled, "If a mere swordsman could do it alone, then why not two shinobi and eight Pokémon?" But one of the heads of Orochi asked, "So you think you can kill me?" Another then smiled, "Go ahead and try."

Ashton held the blade out to his side as the Orochi raised all eight heads high. As they were now, there was quite some distance between him and the ten warriors. Ashton raised the Flamberge high into the air. "Together! Charge!" At that instant, he made a dash towards the Orochi after focusing his Chakra into his legs, allowing for greater speed. Aurora soon caught up with him and ran alongside him. Aurora spoke, "Quick, scatter!" Her timing was impeccable as one of the heads came down at them with gaping jaws. But Ashton and Aurora quickly dashed sideways as the Orochi slammed into the ground, partially burying itself. Taking the opportunity, Ashton leapt into the air and performed a downward thrust with the Flamberge, driving the blade into its head. Dark blood sprayed as the blade sank into the flesh, but the Orochi did not seem to flinch.

"Lord Ashton, move!" Cassandra called as she swung her head, creating a great Razor Wind. The blades of air slashed away at the Orochi's scales. But soon, he let out a loud hiss as the scales that had been sliced off shot towards the Absol like a hail of arrows! "Don't move, Cassandra! I've got this one!" Zandria dove in front of her and began slashing away with her claws to deflect the incoming projectiles. Each scale was about the size of a watermelon, but were still light enough for the Zangoose to deflect with little difficulty. "Man, those were huge! I bet you could make some good knives outta them." Zandria then turned to her rival, "Now that I think about it, you can use Flamethrower, right?" Cassandra nodded, "The last time I ever used it was the day Lord Ashton brought Ruby home, but yes!" Zandria smiled, "Great, then use it with me. I can use Flamethrower as well." At that instant, one of the heads made a lunge for them. But when it got close enough, the two ladies let loose with a double blast of fire, engulfing its face. "Oh yeah! I've never tasted roasted snake before!" Zandria said as the aroma of cooked meat filled the air.

Chiara and Laura danced through the air as one of the heads of Orochi pursued them. "Hey, Chiara! Want to try tying some knots?" Laura called out. The Lugia nodded, "Sounds like fun!" They then flew away from each other and turned to face the head as it pondered which one of them to eat first. But then, Laura and Chiara's eyes began to glow a faint blue. The Orochi froze as a strange feeling came over him. "What is this sensation?" But then, his neck jerked hard to the side, making him gag. Then his head began to curl backwards as he wound himself around his own neck. But then, another one of Orochi's heads came up from behind Chiara. "I've got this one!" The Lugia then turned to face the new threat and focused on it as Laura put on the finishing touches. A moment later, both heads were wrapped around each other. "What was that about? You always were the dumbest of the eight!" But the other barked, "Shut up! If you didn't get involved, you could still be out there snacking on the others!" The two heads continued to feud with each other as Chiara and Laura laughed themselves silly.

Serenade stood her ground as one of Orochi's heads sent a flurry of sharp scales flying towards her. "OK… Focus." She then held out one hand and grabbed a scale with her mind when it was about to touch her before sending it flying back with a telekinetic pulse. But she did not stop there. With the dexterity and grace of a true master of the Gentle Fist, she sent every single scale back at the Orochi without stopping her arms. The scales dug into the flesh upon impact, causing his blood to spray here and there.

Koga leapt onto the neck of one of the Orochi's heads and ran up it with blinding speed as he pricked himself with a shuriken. Pressing his thumb into the drop of blood, he made several hand signs. "Come, my friends! Summoning Jutsu!" He then planted his hand against the Orochi as a puff of white smoke engulfed him. A moment later, a massive swarm of Golbat, Crobat, Venomoth, and Dustox began to circle the massive serpent. The bats bombarded Orochi with Screech, Supersonic, and other sound-based attacks while the Venomoth scattered a great cloud of Stun Spore while the Dustox bombarded Orochi with countless Poison Sting needles.

Laika and Aurora stood before Ruby as the Lucario gathered her Aura into her palms for a Focus Blast. Aurora sent a potent Hydro Pump splashing into the body of Orochi, soaking a large area. She then unleashed an Ice Beam, freezing the wet area solid. But one of Orochi's heads made a dive for the three girls. But before it could devour them, Laika let out a deafening Roar. The Orochi backed away slightly as it shook from the vibrations it felt from the Mightyena. "Lady Aurora! Lady Laika! Make some room!" Ruby called out as she held her hands out. Once her superiors had gotten out of the way, she unleashed a colossal Focus Blast that engulfed the entire head and neck of Orochi. But even then, the other eight heads did not seem to feel any pain.

At first, it seemed that Orochi was not quite as dangerous as the legend proclaimed. But as she watched the dust settle from her attack, Ruby tried sensing the Orochi's Aura. She gasped, "What's going on here? His Aura hasn't weakened at all! It's like he hasn't been injured! The Yamata no Orochi….. It must be immortal!" As if to confirm her suspicions, the head of Orochi that had been engulfed in flames burst out of the blaze and snapped at Zandria and Cassandra. Although startled, they managed to evade it.

"Pesky vermin! Begone!" The heads of Orochi began to flail about as they swatted Koga's summoned Pokémon. They disappeared in a puff of smoke when struck. During the confusion, Koga made a dash for safety towards Ashton's servants. But once the summoned creatures had been dealt with, the Orochi glared at the nine allies. Aurora shouted, "You look as if we didn't even touch you! What are you?" One of Orochi's heads replied, "I am what you call a true immortal. I do not feel the flow of time and I can only be killed if I let you kill me. Or if I'm too intoxicated to notice…..wait a minute." The eight heads looked at their opponents as the two heads that were tied up managed to untangle themselves. "Seven…eight…nine? Where's the tenth?" Just then, one of Orochi's heads felt something being pushed into its scalp. Ashton was still trying to push the Flamberge as deep as he could in an effort to reach Orochi's brain. "HEY! Get off, you pest!" The Orochi then began to flail his head around as Ashton held onto the hilt of his sword for dear life. After about twenty seconds, Orochi finally managed to get Ashton to let go when he threw his head upwards, sending Ashton flying high into the sky.

The viscount stopped rising through the air at about 3,000 feet. Ashton then looked down as he seemed to feel weightless for several seconds. One of Orochi's heads had positioned itself right under him. "Oh no…" Orochi smirked, "It's been centuries since my last meal. I think I'll start with you, Ashton!" With that, Ashton went into a freefall as he screamed at the top of his lungs. Unable to do anything but watch, Ashton's eight companions looked on as if waiting for a miracle. But a moment later, one of Orochi's heads slammed his jaws shut on Ashton. He then gulped him down. "Ugh, I never was fond of that heavy fiber flavor of cotton. Why humans wear clothes, I'll never know." But Cassandra cried, "No…no….oh god, no…" When she tried to dash towards Orochi, Koga grabbed her, "Don't be foolish! He's gone…"

As he slid down Orochi's throat, Ashton slowly succumbed to the black abyss around him. "So…..this is how it ends… What a pathetic way to go for the legendary Vulcan Warrior." But soon, a kindly woman's voice spoke, "No… It does not have to end this way." Ashton spoke, "Who's there? Who are you?" In his mind, he could see a vibrant array of colors as a magnificent bird appeared. "You can still protect them, my child." Ashton gasped, "You are…Ho-Oh…" She replied, "It is time you learned."

Ho-Oh spoke, "Your sister explained it to you already, did she not?" Ashton nodded, "She did, although I was skeptical at first." She then asked, "Do you recall your duel with the Night Hawk? Or the sinking of the Leviathan?" Ashton sighed, "It's all a blur to me." But a second later, vibrant images appeared before Ashton as if he was watching a real event occur before him. He saw himself with wings of flames extending from his back that flickered in a rainbow of colors. He watched in shock as he tore the Night Hawk's arm from her body and then gazed upward in disbelief as she was annihilated by the Crimson Blossom. Then, he found himself out at sea, the Perla Celeste and the Flying Duskull facing off against the Leviathan. He observed as he sent the Kyogre golem crashing through the entire ship with a single blow, reducing it to a pile of burning cinders, and sending the entire battleship to the bottom of the sea with a single strike. "That…..was my doing?"

Ho-Oh nodded, "Yes. The power of the Eternal Flame, my power, is yours to wield. But due to your lack of knowledge of its existence, you could only harness it when consumed with rage. The fires of rage bring out the power of the flames to its fullest. But you can still harness it at any time. You just did not know you had it." Ashton looked down at his hands, "Your power…is my own." She replied, "Yes, dear Ashton. You have grown much since I saved you 15 years ago. But you still have not realized your full potential. You can go much further if you use the resources I bestowed upon you."

The viscount spoke, "You saved me… But why? I thought you circled the world forever to stay away from humans, not to save them." The phoenix replied, "Yes. When my sanctuary in the kingdom of Clavice was destroyed by those who wished to enslave me, I fled. For centuries, I have wandered. But I could not ignore something as precious as you." Ashton blushed, "Precious? Whatever do you mean?" She explained, "I heard your mother's pleas, and I could not ignore them. But when I saw you myself, I knew you would guide the kingdom of Rohta into a new era of understanding if you survived. Perhaps even the entire world. I could not allow you to die when you had so much to live for."

The phoenix came closer to Ashton and embraced him with her wings. "Dearest Ashton… My Angel of the Eternal Flame. You are still needed in this world." Ashton closed his eyes as he listened to her voice. "You have the greatest gift I could ever grant you in your possession. And you know how to use it. Now go, Angel of the Eternal Flame. Lead this world out of the darkness and into the light of the future." Ashton slowly opened his eyes, now just as red as hers. "I will. Thank you, my lady. I hope we meet again someday."

Ruby screamed as Chiara tried to restrain her, "GIVE HIM BACK! RETURN MY MASTER TO ME!" But the Orochi cackled, "Sorry, but that's out of the question. But if you want to see him again, I suppose you can join him in my belly!" One of Orochi's heads dove for the nine companions with gaping jaws. But just before he could reach them, he froze. "What's this I feel?" The head reared back as the head that devoured Ashton began to show signs of discomfort. It groaned, "Oog…I don't feel so good. Feels like heartburn. Or maybe gas…" At this, its neck began to bulge as it struggled to keep its mouth shut. "I…can't…hold it!" With a massive roar, a massive stream of fire exploded from its mouth like a colossal Flamethrower. And at the end of the blast was a spiraling form that rose into the sky. To the shock of Koga and his eight companions, the flames opened up to reveal a pair of beautiful wings of fire that radiated a rainbow of colors. And attached to those wings was Ashton, whose eyes were now unmistakably red and the Z-shaped scars under his eyes had become bolder.

As smoke poured out of the mouth of Orochi, its head shouted, "WATER! I NEED WATER!" It then thrust its massive neck towards the sea, where it submerged its head and started to gulp away, despite the extremely salty taste. Koga gasped at the magnificent angelic form that hovered above them as it steadily flapped its wings to stay aloft. "Ashton….. What have you…?" Serenade in particular was stunned by what she saw. (What is this? Every time before, this side of him always frightened me. But now…he seems to be…an angel… I've never felt such a reassuring presence.) All of Ashton's other servants were silent with awe. The very sight of their master flying above them put their hearts at ease.

One of Orochi's heads shouted, "What are you? How do you have wings?" Ashton calmly replied, "I am the Angel of the Eternal Flame." The Orochi gasped in shock for a second, but soon smirked, "Oh, so this is the power of the Eternal Flame. The phoenix finally rises from the ashes. This should be most interesting indeed. I wouldn't be surprised if you have a spicy flavor to you now." The Orochi's eight heads rose up as if readying themselves for combat. "I have often wondered what Ho-Oh would taste like, but I suppose I'll just have to settle for you instead!" Ashton grunted, "Really? Too bad you'll never know." With a flick of his wrist, a rope of fire shot out from Ashton's hand and grabbed the hilt of the Flamberge, which was still embedded in one of Orochi's heads. He yanked the blade loose and quickly retracted the rope of fire and took his sword in hand once it came close enough. With a swing of his blade to remove the blood, Ashton gave Orochi a confident glare, "A snake can only reach so high. But if you are lucky, you just might get a chance to fly in the talons of a phoenix."

Ashton made a sudden dive to the ground as two of Orochi's heads pursued him. But just before he hit the ground, Ashton changed direction and flew just over the surface while the two heads slammed into the ground with a crash. One of Orochi's heads fired a flurry of sharp scales at the viscount, but Ashton turned himself over and slashed away at the scales while flying upside-down. "Come now! You'll have to do better than that!" But one of the Orochi's heads shouted, "So I shall! It's no fun if the prey does not put up a fight! Don't disappoint me!"

One of the heads that crashed into the ground suddenly burst out of the ground with open jaws, ready to devour Ashton whole. "Big mistake." Ashton turned over to face the Orochi. "Fire Style…" At the sound of this, the Orochi yelped and disappeared back into the hole. "No, not again! It was bad enough the first time!" But Ashton smirked, "Wise decision." But he then turned to the rest of Orochi and shouted, "Grand Fireball!" A fireball that was no smaller than one of Orochi's heads was fired from Ashton's mouth. Koga gasped, "I have never witnessed a Grand Fireball Jutsu so immense! Is this the power of the Eternal Flame?" As Koga finished what he was saying, the Grand Fireball exploded into one of Orochi's heads. Out of the cloud of smoke it fell, a glazed look in its eyes. "Ouch…"

"Try this!" One of Orochi's heads opened its mouth wide. At that instant, a massive plume of purple smoke shot out at Ashton. "A Poison Fog Jutsu? Seems Orochi learned much while hiding inside the High Priest." He then made a few hand signs as a large sphere of fire appeared before him. "Wind Style: Fire Storm Jutsu!" With a swing of the Flamberge, a massive wall of fire engulfed the toxic fog and the head that it came from. Koga marveled at the combined elements. "A combination of Fire and Wind Style. Superb, Ashton! Simply superb!"

Ashton saw that about five of Orochi's heads were pursuing him and he took to the sky at high speed. Although the Orochi was gargantuan, it had a limit to how far it could reach. Once Ashton was out of range, he placed the Flamberge on his back as he curved back towards the ground. He then folded his wings over his body and then unfurled them as he went into a rapid spin. "Time to see if the move I used to sink the Leviathan will work here too." In a few seconds, Ashton looked like a large spinning arrowhead of flames as he rocketed towards the Orochi. "Let's see you take this! Phoenix Maelstrom!" The missile roared past the towering bodies as he clipped them, causing them to burst into flames. Serenade whispered, "The very same technique. What a sight… You really are a marvel, brother. If only Mother and Father could see you now."

Ashton came out of his attack and hovered in place by flapping his wings. All but one or two of Orochi's heads were engulfed in flames while the other two watched. "Tch, this is all too easy. But I can see why Susano got him drunk. That thing is much faster than it looks." But after a moment, the heads that were burning stopped writing in pain and simply stared at the viscount. "Easy? If I was the same creature that fell before Susano, yes. Perhaps I would be unable to kill you. But while I resided within the High Priest, I learned much. Allow me to share his knowledge with you." With this, all eight heads reared up and opened their massive jaws wide. Eight voices spoke as some sort of black aura began to form between the eight mouths, "Demon Art: Eight Paths of Ruin!"

Ashton instinctively folded his wings around his body for protection as the Yamata no Orochi finished his chant. At that instant, an unimaginably horrific wave of demonic Chakra was fired from the space between the eight heads of Orochi, engulfing Ashton. Ruby screamed, "ASHTON!" But when the black aura disappeared, Ashton could still be seen floating above the landscape, dark smoke emanating from him. He unfolded his wings, gasping and groaning in pain. One of Orochi's heads smiled, "I'm surprised you still have a body. Anything else would have disappeared." Ashton grabbed the Flamberge by the hilt and lunged at Orochi, slashing away at its necks while they tried to intercept him. But after several dozen slashes, once of the Orochi's heads knocked the Flamberge out of Ashton's hands, sending it flying towards his nine allies. They jumped out of the way as the blade struck the ground, leaving it standing up. One by one, the Orochi's heads overwhelmed Ashton as they struck him over and over with glancing blows, sometimes grazing him with their fangs and allowing their venom to seep into him. After a painful few minutes, one of the Orochi's heads sent Ashton flying upwards like before, but this time another head rose up to intercept him. "You put up a good fight, my prey. If you're still alive after this, I just might have you as an appetizer!" It then opened its mouth wide as black Chakra began to gather between the gaping jaws. "Demon Art: Final Breath of the Doomed!" Before Ashton could react, a massive blast of evil power engulfed the area right in front of the Orochi's face, sending Ashton flying to the outskirts of the valley. He hit the ground with a deafening crash. "ASHTON!" Ruby screamed in tears. In desperation, she and her 'sisters' made a dash for the area where Ashton fell. Koga stood silently for a moment, but soon followed them. "No… Ashton, you must live. Even if you can't slay the Yamata no Orochi, I want you to at least survive and escape this land."

Ashton crawled out of the crater that had been formed from the impact. He groaned and gagged as blood poured down his face, his wings trying to lift him from the ground. He rolled over onto his back as he watched the Orochi looming overhead. "No way….. Not even Ho-Oh herself could hope to stand against this beast. If only I had a nice big pool of sake or wine." One of the Orochi's heads called out, "So you still live? I'll be sure to savor this meal. But before I devour you, I'll give you one last chance to defeat me. Go on, have at it. That is, if you have the means to try!" Ashton slowly climbed to his feet, "I do have one last trick up my sleeve. But if I use it…I will surely…" Tears began to trickle down his face, "Master Koga, what should I do?"

Several days earlier, Ashton had paid a visit to Koga's home. "I've never seen so many scrolls in my life. Did you write these yourself?" Koga smiled, "A few of them. Most have been passed down from shinobi that lived long before our time." Ashton smiled, "Interesting. Hm? This scroll…won't open…" Koga walked over to him, "Ah, this one has been sealed to prevent the unwise from learning them. This scroll is filled with a variety of forbidden ninjutsu. But I suppose I could show you." He then pressed his hand to the scroll and made a hand sign with his other hand. "Release." Ashton then tried to open the scroll and found that it was easy to do so. Inside, he found a large cache of seemingly devious information that made him feel a slight chill at the sight of the consequences that were inscribed next to the various jutsu. But at the very back of the scroll, he found something that made his hair stand on end. "This… This is…?"

Koga came over to his former pupil and took a look at what he had found. "I'm not surprised that this one scared you. Must be a scary thought, coming face-to-face with the spirit of death." Ashton glanced up at his sensei with a look of fright, "You must be joking! There is a summoning technique that allows a man to acquire the powers of death itself?" Koga nodded, "Yes, but at an extremely heavy price. Read the rest of it." Ashton looked back at the scroll and read it over. When he read the part that explained the consequences of performing the deed, his face went blank. "No way… Such a fate…is unthinkable…" Koga then placed a hand on Ashton's shoulder, "Yes, but the few who used this jutsu were very brave and honorable people who gave everything they had to protect everything that was important to them. Though this comes with a great price and is dark in nature, only the bravest and noblest would even consider using it. Something that even the most vengeful of demons would not dare to use."

Ashton looked back at the scroll and went silent. After a moment, he asked, "Master Koga, may I learn how to use this technique?" Koga gave Ashton a sharp glance. "I hope I never have to use it, but just in case nothing else works, I want to have a failsafe plan should my loved ones end up in peril. And this will surely be enough to protect them from any threat." Koga sighed, "Very well. All you need to do is perform the hand signs and that's it. Just make sure you don't use it unless you absolutely need to." Ashton smiled, "Thank you, Master Koga." He then looked back at the scroll and read over the hand signs that were needed to perform the technique.

Ashton glared at Orochi as he gathered his courage. "If I fail here, the entire planet will become Orochi's plaything. My family…. My home…. Everything. They will all be doomed to Orochi's whim." He then placed one hand on his face and slid it off, coating his palm in blood. He then did the same with the other hand as more blood trickled down his face. When he looked down at his hands, he saw that both of his palms were covered with blood. "Looks like enough." He then looked to the left and saw his eight servants and Koga rapidly closing in. "Forgive me….."

Ashton began making hand signs as he chanted to help remember the correct order, "Mi, I, Hitsuji, U, Inu, Ne, Tori, Uma, Mi!" He then pressed both hands together. At this point, Koga and the others had gotten close enough to get a good view of him. But Koga then realized what Ashton had done. "Ashton….. He didn't…" At that instant, red mist began to emanate from between Ashton's hands and escape into the air. A moment later, a pale ghostly form began to expand just behind Ashton as a number of glowing particles began to gravitate towards it from nowhere. A left hand formed that was a faint purple and was holding a necklace of red beads. Soon, the rest of the body formed. Everyone, including Orochi himself, stood aghast at the sight of a horned demon with black and yellow eyes wearing a white robe, its long wild white hair being blown by a gentle, unfelt wind. A faint blue mist seemed to be pulled out of Ashton's body and was directed to the space in front of the demon's chest as it took on the general form of a human. A second later, more spectral mist gathered at the demon's mouth and formed a tanto sword which had its hilt wrapped in white bandages. The being was transparent, a ghostly creature that levitated while cackling in an eerie and jeering manner as white spectral flames floated around it.

Ashton looked up at Orochi with a sneaky smirk. All eight heads looked on in absolute terror. "You…. You did not just…! You wouldn't dare!" All of Ashton's servants froze in fear of the demon that Ashton had summoned. Cassandra asked, "K…Koga… What in the world is…?" The shinobi shuddered, "That beastly apparition… Normally, it is visible only to the one who summons it. But when an offering of blood is made along with the required hand signs, it becomes visible to all." Aurora then asked, "But…what is it…?" Koga shuddered, "It's over….. Ashton has sealed his fate… That monster… That diabolical entity…..is the very face of death itself. The spirit of death. We of the Far East know it as Shinigami." Chiara gasped, "The spirit of death? Impossible…"

Ashton laughed, "Yes, you know it too, Orochi! Even a true immortal such as yourself knows that you are powerless against this threat! I have summoned a force that absolutely no one is truly immune to! Not even you! You stand before your demise! Your hour of death has come!"


	20. The Will to Defy Death

Author's Chapter Notes:

Even as far away as the kingdom of Rohta, Ashton's final action can be felt. With his death assured, the Angel of the Eternal Flame tries to bring down the dreaded Yamata no Orochi. But in the end, there is nothing that can save him from the Grim Reaper.

Or is there?

More Naruto tunes!

Death as an Ally - Risking It All

Angel of Death - .com/watch?v=B_MW65XxS7s Nope, not Naruto music.

Saying Goodbye - Sadness and Sorrow

A Hero's Reward - Hokage

In the kingdom of Rohta, it was now midday. Deep in the Viridian Forest, Siegfried chopped some firewood with his elbow blades. He then heard his wife approaching from behind. "Starlet, how much more wood do you think we need?" The Gardevoir giggled, "To be honest, we've had enough to get through winter for several months now!" She then looked over her husband's blue colorations. "Every now and then, I mistake your blue areas for the sky." The Gallade laughed, "You think so? When I see my reflection in water, I sometimes don't see myself for a moment!"

After gathering up the firewood and placing it in a neat pile near their cottage, Siegfried turned to face his lover. "It's past noon. What do you say I head into town and grab some roast duck?" But he then noticed his wife staring up at the sky with a worried expression. "Starlet?" The Gallade walked over to her and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Is something troubling you?" She replied, "I can't describe it… I feel a terrible sense of dread… Like somewhere out there, he…" Siegfried asked, "You mean our children, right?" But Starlet shook her head, "I'm certain that Serenade is fine. It's Ashton I fear for. At this very moment, I can't shake the feeling that he is on the verge of death."

Siegfried wrapped his arms around his beloved, "I miss him too. Even though we are not the same species, I always viewed him as my own flesh and blood. We'll see him again. Don't lose faith in him." Starlet sighed, "I know, and I try to have faith in him. He will always be my little boy." She then grabbed the peridot that hung around her neck by a silk thread. "My most precious keepsake. I can never forget him as long as I wear this." But when she let go of it and allowed it to rest against her chest, the silk thread suddenly snapped without warning, sending the precious gem falling to the ground. Both Starlet and Siegfried were alarmed. That thread had never shown any signs of weakness before. When Siegfried picked it up, he found that a deep crack had formed in the gemstone, even though the impact with the ground was very light. He looked at Starlet, tears beginning to form in his eyes. Starlet could see what he was trying to tell her, even though he could not bring himself to say it. Silently, the couple embraced each other, fearing that their beloved son was now standing at death's door.

Deep in the Black Woods, Sabrina was putting the finishing touches on a potion in a vial. "One teaspoon. No more, no less…" A moment later she sighed in contentment. "Success." She carefully examined the vial that contained the potion. It was the renowned Heaven's Mercy. "I wonder what Ashton is up to…" The psychic set the vial in a chest filled with other potions of varying colors that were neatly sorted and headed upstairs in her home. She removed her hood, allowing her gorgeous long black hair to flow down her back. She took a seat at a table. Atop the table was a glistening crystal ball.

"It has been well over two or more months since I last heard from him. Where are you, Ashton?" She held her hands just over the orb. Soon, she could see what seemed to Ashton in a dark blue ninja's outfit. "That attire….. Is he in the Far East?" But a moment later, the view became shrouded in what seemed to be a black void. "Hm? What is this?" But just then, bolts of dark lightning began to shoot out from the crystal orb as a black aura seemed to emanate from it. Glass vials all around the room shattered as Sabrina let out a shriek of fright. "Must…suppress…" A faint glow surrounded her as she exerted her psychic powers to their fullest as she pressed her hands against the orb. The bolts of lightning began to shrink. And soon, they stopped entirely as the usual calm filled her home again. Sabrina breathed a sigh of relief, "Such a sinister presence. Ashton….. What has happened to you?"

Under the midnight sky, the Yamata no Orochi stood before Ashton and the spirit of death itself. Now with a truly frightful power at his disposal, Ashton was almost giddy with confidence. "What's wrong, Orochi? Just a minute ago, you seemed so sure of yourself! Now you're cowering like a frightened child! What's come over you?" The towering serpent shouted, "Frightened child? You are the one who should be frightened, you reckless fool! Do you have any idea what you have done to yourself?" Ashton smirked, "Yes, but at least I won't disappear alone. I'm taking you with me!"

At the sidelines, Ruby turned to Koga, "Master Koga, what does the Orochi mean? What has Lord Ashton done to himself?" But the wise old shinobi sighed, "You do not need to know." But the normally silent Laika demanded, "Tell us! Is he in danger?" Koga looked down and frowned, "There is nothing we can do…to save him now." Laura then asked, "You mean the Orochi is going to kill him?" But Koga shook his head, "No. Ashton has a great advantage over Orochi now. The chances of that beast slaying him are very unlikely now." Ruby then asked, "But…what do you mean? If Orochi isn't the threat, then what is?" Koga then pointed to the ghastly form that floated behind Ashton.

Cassandra gasped, "The spirit of death? But Ashton is the one who summoned it! Why would it try to harm him?" Koga explained, "The powers of death are not meant to be wielded by humanity. To prevent the one who summons it from misusing its power, the spirit of death….." At this point, tears began to fall from his face, "I… I just can't say it…" Zandria demanded, "Is he going to die?" Koga choked, "Worse…" He then looked over at his former student, "Watch him closely. You are now witnessing this world's greatest hero's final deed."

Ashton gazed up at Orochi with a cocky smile, "That look on your faces. Absolutely priceless!" But the Orochi shouted, "Ashton, stop and think about this! If you follow-through with this, you will suffer a fate worse than death! If you dispel the summoning now, you will be saved! It's not too late!" But the viscount glared at him, "If I use the powers of death, I will die. If I do not, I will still die and who knows how many others will perish afterwards. Better for it to be just me than everyone else in the world." The Orochi scowled, "So be it. I'll just have to kill you first!"

Ashton chuckled for a moment, "You? Kill ME? Forget it." He then pointed at Orochi, "Shinigami! Show this vile beast the face of death the people of my land are most familiar with!" At his command, the white robe of the spirit of death began to turn a dull brown as its horns and red beads began to disappear. As its hair fell out, Shinigami took its sword out of its mouth and held it in its right hand. After that, its purple skin began to vaporize in a stream of spectral mist as its bones became visible. A moment later, a transparent skeleton floated behind Ashton while clothed in a hooded brown cloak while Ashton's soul was now contained inside its ribcage like a tiny prison cell. Soon, the sword in its bony right hand began to change shape as the hilt became longer and the blade became curved. A moment later, Shinigami, or rather the Grim Reaper, held its trademark scythe in its right hand. "This is the form my people know as the face of death. Allow me to introduce you to the Grim Reaper."

Orochi gasped in shock and fright at the new undead form of the spirit of death. "That…is what death looks like in the Far West?" Ashton shook his head, "No. Death is universal. Shinigami. The Grim Reaper. They are one in the same." But he then raised his right hand high above his head. "Lord of Death, grant me your strength for this final duel." To the shock of everyone around him, the Grim Reaper slowly lowered its right hand until it was just above Ashton's. It then released the scythe, allowing it to float within reach of Ashton's hand. The instant he gripped the staff of the scythe, a dark ominous presence emanated from the foul weapon as it became solid, making everyone nearby feel as if a diabolical curse had fallen over the land. Chiara gasped, "Ashton…..is now in possession of the Grim Reaper's own scythe?" Koga nodded, "The very tool the spirit of death uses to reap the souls of the living." But that was not all. A moment after taking the scythe in hand, Ashton's wings began to turn black, starting from where they extended from his back. The black coloration crept over his wings until it reached the tips. The wings of flames no longer looked like flames at all, but rather a pair of solid wings, like the wings of a raven. Ashton then thrust the staff of the scythe into the ground, "This is the weapon that reaps the souls of the living. I now hold the death scythe, Thanatos!"

Orochi shuddered in fright at the sight of the only weapon in existence that could kill him without him allowing it to. "You….. You think I am weak, don't you? It does not matter that you wield Thanatos! I will still bring this world under my rule! Even if you have the power of death at your fingertips, it will not make a difference as long as I kill you first!" Ashton then coldly stared at Orochi, black feathers falling from his wings. "Sure, keep telling yourself that." He then threw an arm up to his left as he looked over at his nine allies. "This one is mine. Get to safety." He then lifted the staff of the scythe up slightly before jamming it hard into the ground. At that instant, the deep blue night sky became a sea of inky blackness as even the clouds and moon could not be seen. Like whispers on the wind, the screams of the dead could be heard wailing beyond the realm of the living. "You hear them, Orochi? Soon, you shall join them."

The great serpent screamed, "Enough of your big talk! You are my prey!" At this, one of the eight heads of Orochi lunged down at Ashton with gaping jaws. "That move is getting really old." Ashton dodged the strike by leaping straight up into the air with a flap of his sable wings as Thanatos was enshrouded with a dark aura that strongly resembled black flames. The Angel of the Eternal Flame soared higher and higher as the other seven heads tried to snap him up in their jaws. But when he knew they were gaining on him Ashton turned around and spoke, "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower!" A flurry of fireballs was launched at the seven heads of Orochi. But this time, they were a sinister black instead of fiery orange. Upon being struck with the black flames, the Orochi let out a screech as the flames quickly spread over its scales.

"This kind of power is almost frightening. I can see why the price is so steep for a mortal to summon death itself." Ashton said aloud as he watched the Orochi writhe in agony as the black flames engulfed him. But a second later, all eight heads shouted, "Demon Art: Unholy Salvation!" At that instant, the flames vanished as a dark purple mist engulfed the burning areas. "Not bad at all, Ashton of Green Mile! I am most certainly not disappointed! But you'll have to do better than that!" Ashton then smirked, "So I see." He then reached back with Thanatos in his right hand, and then sent the scythe flying through the air as it spun like a circular saw. Ashton then flew around the Orochi to intercept it at some point. As the blade sliced through their necks, the Orochi felt as if something was sapping their strength as if the blade was not solid. It was as if it was cutting out chunks of their very soul.

After slashing through seven of its heads, the blade of Thanatos became lodged in the neck of the eighth head. "Why is it so cold?" But Ashton then grabbed the staff and smirked, "Because your soul is now mine." With a ripping slash, he dislodged the scythe from the scales of Orochi. But to the serpent's horror, he saw a spectral blue trail of mist stuck to the blade. "As I said, your soul is now mine!" Ashton then flew upwards as the scythe began to pull the soul of Orochi out of its still-living body. "No, stop! Give it….." But when the soul of the head of Orochi was pulled from its host, the Orochi from the neck up froze in place as if being held by an unseen force. The soul was then absorbed into the dark blade of Thanatos for safekeeping. "One down, seven to go."

As the other seven heads looked on, they struggled to make the immobile head move, but to no avail. "You….. What have you done to me?" Ashton smirked, "I have just reaped your soul. Well, part of it anyway." The Orochi shrieked, "You beast! Just what is it you're trying to do?" Ashton then frowned, "Pretty obvious, isn't it? I'm removing your soul from this realm. The only reason why you were resurrected was because your soul could still be drawn back." But the Orochi laughed, "You don't understand death at all! The spirit of death can send my soul to the great beyond, but it cannot lock it away!" But Ashton gave him a sneaky stare, "Yes, it can't. But only because it is duty-bound to do so. I, on the other hand, do not have a contract with any higher power. I am an independent knight. And I will send you wherever I decide."

The Orochi cackled, "So I see. Seems you are a much greater threat than I imagined. But now that I know what you are capable of, I will make sure you don't take anymore parts of my soul." To insure that Ashton would not leave its sight, the Orochi positioned its heads in a way that left each head facing a different direction. "If you try to get in a cheap shot from behind, I will be ready to defend myself." Ashton grunted, "That's assuming you can catch me." He then flew at high speed past the heads and threw Thanatos into the neck of one of them. As he flew in to retrieve it and another part of Orochi's soul, five of the heads tried to devour and strike him with their broad faces. But he failed to notice the seventh head was gathering demonic energy in its mouth. The instant Ashton grabbed the staff of Thanatos, the seventh head shouted, "Demon Art…" Ashton's face went blank, "Oh great…" Out of time, he simply took the scythe in hand and flew away as quickly as his sable wings could carry him. "Final Breath of the Doomed!" Although Ashton was able to get away, the massive blast of demonic might engulfed the head of Orochi that the scythe had been embedded into.

"That was close. They were watching me from every angle and had one stay back as a last line of defense. But that strike must've surely have blown that head clean off." But when the smoke cleared, Ashton gasped as the head that had been blasted rose up and let out a yawn. "Honestly, could you at least try a little harder?" Ashton shouted, "What's wrong with you? That should've at least burned your scales off!" But the Orochi laughed, "Do you really think I would maim myself in an attempt to get rid of one pesky insect? I cannot be harmed by the power I sold my soul to obtain!" But Ashton looked at the scythe, "But I just hacked out a piece of his soul….. Bah, whatever." He then pondered as he hovered in place, "But if I can't cut its soul from its body one at a time….." He then looked to the distance as his eyes trailed along the eight necks of Orochi. He could not even see where they joined. But a sly smirk came to his face, "I'll just have to take them out all at once!" He then looked over at Orochi and smiled, "Perhaps I can't take you on one at a time. But that doesn't mean you seven are not connected somewhere!" All seven of Orochi's heads that remained conscious gave him a frightened glance, "You know….." Ashton smirked, and then flew off as he followed Orochi's eight necks with the hope that he may find where they connected. But not before Orochi sent his seven heads after him. "I will not let you!"

Ashton flew as fast as he could to stay ahead of the Orochi. But no matter how far he flew, they did not seem to join anywhere. "Feelings like I've been flying for miles. I knew the Orochi was colossal, but this goes beyond anything I could expect! Wait..." He then looked back to see the Orochi slowing down. "Must be getting tired. But why?" But when Ashton looked back ahead, his face lit up at the sight of the eight necks joining into a single mass of scales. "Got it! Now to…eh?" Before Ashton could even react, two of Orochi's eight tails were closing in on his sides. "Oh, this is gonna hurt…" A second later, the two tails slammed into each other over Ashton like a pair of hands squashing a fly. They then separated, causing Ashton to drop to the ground like a rock. "Hey…..dat hurt…" The viscount hit the ground relatively softly as his wings acted like a parachute, slowing his fall to a degree.

"Oog….. I've heard of kicking some tail, but never the tail doing the kicking…" Ashton shook his head after the impact knocked him back to his senses. "Now where… SHOOT!" Ashton took to the air again with Thanatos in hand as the seven heads of Orochi dove at him along with the eight tails lashing out. With fifteen gargantuan objects trying to bring him down, Ashton was hard-pressed to focus on evasion rather than attack. "Of all things to forget! I never imagined that the Orochi had eight tails as well!" But he could not keep it up forever. After countless evaded strikes, one of Orochi's tails struck Ashton from behind, sending the viscount soaring face first towards the ground. But before he could collide with the ground, one of Orochi's heads intercepted him and sent the viscount flying straight up into the black sky.

Ashton groaned as he stopped rising into the air and flapped his wings to remain aloft. But when he looked down, he gulped at the sight of the seven heads separating and looking directly up at him. Their crimson eyes began to glow as what seemed to be a deformed heptagram began to form between them like a seven-pointed star of red rays of light. One by one, the seven heads spoke, "Lust. Gluttony. Greed. Sloth. Wrath. Envy. Pride." As they finished their chant, the eyes of the seven heads lit up like torches! "Demon Art: Seven Original Sins!" An instant later, rays of unholy red light shot forth from the eyes of Orochi and converged at the point where they collided with Ashton. It happened so quickly, Ashton felt them strike him the instant he blinked upon the second Orochi finished the incantation. The seven rays of light burned through Ashton like a laser, a searing pain engulfing his body. A bloodcurdling scream erupted from his lungs, like his very insides were being torn apart.

Ashton weakly hovered in place, his wings barely keeping him aloft. "I'm already as good as dead…. But I can't go just yet. I've got to…hold out…" Ashton then pointed the head of Thanatos downwards towards the Orochi. "Spirits of the dead….. Please grant me your aid. Help me prevent this beast from making the people of this world suffer an untimely demise." At his request, the blade was engulfed in a light blue glow. "Now, attack!" At his command, a shower of spectral lights shot out of the blade and rained down upon the Orochi. As they closed in, Orochi could hear what sounded like screaming as the souls ripped through his body, leaving him numb. "The souls of the dead…?" During the confusion, Ashton made a nosedive towards the very center of the Orochi's body. Where the heads and tails began. Upon landing, he sank the blade of the scythe into the flesh of Orochi and pulled it out, a bit of his soul stuck on the blade. At this, Orochi noticed. "No… You wouldn't…" Ashton then gave the serpent a harsh glare, "I'm sending you to the one place where you will never be able to be called back from."

In a desperate act, all seven of Orochi's heads lunged for Ashton. But just before they could strike, the viscount leapt upwards and took to the sky, the soul of the dreaded serpent being pulled out of its body. "No… NO!" The seven heads of Orochi pulled away, but could not escape as his soul was pulled out, the spectral mist creeping up the necks and tails as more and more of it was extracted. Once the entire soul was removed, the massive body of Orochi froze in place. It was not quite dead, yet not quite alive either. It was just a hollow shell.

Ashton flapped his wings hard as he soared into the heavens, the soul of Orochi trailing behind him while demanding the viscount to release him. "You foolish mortal! Just where do you think you're taking me?" Once the air became thin and chilled, Ashton stopped and threw Thanatos straight up with an underhand toss. "I'm sending you to the one place where your kind belongs." The scythe turned on its side and began to spin, the eight heads of Orochi flailing about like ropes. At that instant, a crimson vortex began to open and expand overhead, reaching as far as the Orochi itself could. "I'm sending you to Oblivion!"

The eight heads of Orochi stared up at the hellish vortex as their spinning came to a stop. They tried to flee, but were bound to the blade of Thanatos. "No, stay back! Don't touch me!" Moans of remorse, hatred, and many other emotions were emitted from the vortex as an uncountable number of ghoulish hands reached out of the vortex and grabbed the soul of Orochi. One by one, the flailing heads were pulled into the vortex. But the last head extended as far as it could until it was just inches from Ashton. It could feel the hands pulling him in. As he glared bitterly at the viscount, Ashton spoke, "Remain the way you are supposed to be." At this, Ashton went into a freefall and fell towards the ground near where the battle had begun. In a final hateful act of defiance, the last head of Orochi opened its mouth wide and let out a horrible screech at Ashton as it was consumed by the vortex. Once the soul of the Yamata no Orochi disappeared from the world, the crimson vortex closed. Ashton flapped his wings as he neared the ground, allowing him to land on his feet. As he looked to the black sky, he caught Thanatos as it fell towards him. He then completed his message to Orochi, "As a forgotten nightmare of this world."

Having completed his task, Ashton's wings began to crumble away in a flurry of black feathers. His red eyes returned to their natural dark color as the scars under his eyes reverted to their previous appearance. The black sky became the familiar pleasant deep blue as the stars and the moon returned and Thanatos disappeared in a plume of black flames. A moment later, a loud cracking sound was heard as the body of Orochi began to turn brown as cracks ran along the surface. Once the body had turned as dull as the earth, the towering body crumbled away as it turned to soil. "It's done….. I have done my duty for my kingdom…" But at that moment, Ashton felt a dreadful sensation as his payment for the assistance of the spirit of death began. His soul was pulled out of the Grim Reaper's ribcage as it floated behind him. It then began to gravitate towards its bony mouth. But as his soul was slowly devoured, Ashton gasped, "No…. Please! Just give me…a little more…time…" Despite its cold nature, the spirit of death listened and his soul stayed where it was. But it was then that Ashton's strength left him and he fell backwards. But before he could hit the ground, he felt a hand grab him. Then another. And another. And yet another. Until he felt five arms gently lower him to the ground. Ashton gazed around him. "You're…..all here…"

Standing around Ashton were his eight servants and his former mentor. "Brother…" Serenade whispered to him, her red eyes pouring tears. Ashton set a hand on her own hand, "I'm not leaving yet, dear sister. It would seem the lord of death feels I deserve to linger just a while longer." But Laura flew up to him and nuzzled his face, tears flowing down her face, "Don't say that! You're coming home with us! You're going to be fine! Serenade will fix you up, Zandria will cook you some homemade chicken soup, and I…" But Ashton placed a finger against her face, "No….. Not this time…" The Latias shuddered, her voice breaking, "Ashy…?" To the horror of his eight servants, the dying viscount whispered, "It is time for me to go…."

Zandria screamed, "No…no way! You're lying! The Ashton I knew would never leave us! You're going to be all right! Do you hear me? You'll be OK!" The Zangoose ran up to him and held his face, "Look at me! Tell me you're going to be fine! Go on!" But Ashton simply smiled at her as tears began to flow down his face. "Trust me. This hurts me just as much as it hurts you." Cassandra then came over to him, "Ashton….. You're…serious…?" She then looked over at Koga, "Master Koga, what did you mean by….." But the wise old shinobi remained silent as his hands began to tremble. Ashton looked over at him, "Sensei…..what did you tell them…?" But Koga turned away, "I can't look at you right now….. I don't want you to see an old man cry….." The proud ninja then dropped to his knees and quietly sobbed, unable to bring himself to face the student he could not save.

Serenade pressed her hands against Ashton's chest and tried to apply Recover. "Don't move….. I'll heal your wounds, and then we'll get you back to town…" But Ashton gently pushed her hands away, "I appreciate your concern, Serenade, but you're wasting your time….. I'm going to be dead soon…" But Aurora stepped forward, "How can you leave us like this? You! The only human who has ever looked upon us as true equals! How can you just leave us behind?" But Ashton silently wept, "You don't have to remind me….." The Suicune then noticed that Ashton was crying. "Ashton…?" The viscount sobbed, "I don't want to leave you…. You are my family. And it pains me to know that I will never see you again. But I had no other choice. If I was to slay the Orochi, I needed the power of death itself. If I did not, it would be the same as offering you all to him as a sacrifice. But by summoning the spirit of death to aid me, I was able to seal away that beast in a place that no mortal can reach. But those who summon the spirit of death are doomed to die as soon as the enemy has been dealt with."

Chiara stepped forward, "But…if you die, we will still meet again someday. If we die, we will be reunited with you." But Ashton shook his head, "No. That is not the case." Chiara gasped, "W…what?" Ashton explained, "The price of summoning death itself is heavy. Not only does the spirit of death consume the life of the summoner. It devours the soul as well." Chiara staggered back, "No…" Ashton nodded, "Yes. From then on, the soul of the summoner is contained within the belly of the spirit of death, alone. Isolated, never to rest in peace. So you see, this really is our final farewell." Ruby then sobbed, "How could you do that to yourself? Why this?" Ashton whispered, "Better me than the rest of you." But Ruby cried, "That's not what I meant! Why separate yourself from us? We all live for you!" Ashton whispered, "Say no more. You've cried enough."

Ashton noticed Laika standing at the sidelines. "Laika, come closer. I want to say goodbye to all of you." The white wolf slowly approached her master while trying to keep a straight face. She walked right up next to him and stared at him. Tears had gathered in her eyes, but she was trying hard to hold them in. Ashton then realized that he had hurt Laika more than anyone else. He could see the suffering in her eyes. He slowly brought a hand to her face, caressing her. At his touch, Laika began to tremble violently as she struggled to control herself. But Ashton whispered, "There's no need to hold back now. Just let it out." Laika's eyes then began to pour tears as her ears went flat against her head. She then closed her eyes as she fell upon her master, wailing loudly to the point where she could not even speak. The other seven ladies backed away as they were startled by this show of emotion as they had never seen Laika display such a powerful sense of sorrow. Ashton gently embraced his guardian, "You did not fail me. Do not blame yourself."

Once Laika had cried herself dry, Ashton spoke, "As your master, I hereby grant you all your freedom. My family's estate….. The Crimson fortune…..is now yours. Do as you will with it. I trust you will use it well. Live on and live your lives as you see fit." At that moment, the spirit of death resumed its feast as Ashton's life-force and soul began to be drawn into its mouth. His life waning, Ashton whispered, "Each of you…..truly made my life….worth living… Farewell…" All eight of his servants looked on with tears falling as he closed his eyes forever.

Ruby trembled in disbelief as she watched the man she loved die. She then looked up at the spirit of death as it was about to consume the last of Ashton's soul. But in an act of desperation, she screamed, "NOOOOOO!" The Lucario leapt at the Grim Reaper and grabbed Ashton's soul before the last bit of it could slide down its throat. Koga and the other seven ladies gasped in shock at Ruby's reckless move as she dangled from the Grim Reaper's mouth. Cassandra stood aghast, "She grabbed his soul?" Koga explained, "Of course! Lucario are able to manipulate Aura! And since Ashton's Aura has been combined with his soul, she can effectively hold it!" The Lucario pleaded, "Don't take him away from me! I love him! I can't bear the thought of never seeing him again! But if you must have him, take me too!"

The Grim Reaper stopped for a moment, but then began to consume the rest of Ashton's soul as Ruby's soul could be seen as it was extracted from her body. "Thank you…..huh?" But Serenade grabbed onto the Lucario and pleaded, "No, take me as well! I want to see my brother!" Then Zandria grabbed Ruby's foot, "Me too! I owe that man everything!" Laura then threw her arms around Ruby as she wept, "Don't leave me behind! Ashton is my life! My existence!" One by one, Ashton's eight servants joined in as they desperately sought to join their beloved in the afterlife. But after a moment of loud pleading and weeping from the eight ladies, the Grim Reaper began to disappear. Once it was gone, everyone fell into a heap as there was nothing left to hold them up.

"Are we…dead?" Ruby asked. But Chiara spoke, "Ruby, what's that in your hand?" The Lucario looked up and gasped to see a large orb of Aura and spectral mist. "Is this…?" Aurora shouted, "Quickly! Over here!" Ruby ran over to Ashton's corpse and jammed the orb into his body. To her surprise, it entered him as if it was not even there. Serenade then pressed an ear to his chest. "Please….. Stay with me, brother." A moment later, she gasped as she heard a heartbeat. Right after that, she heard Ashton mumble, "Sorry, Garyson….. That makes this my 100th win…" Serenade began to sob, "He's alive…"

Laika ran over to her master, "He lives?" Serenade nodded, "Yes. And his soul is intact." But Ruby asked, "But why? Why did the spirit of death spare him?" At that moment, rain began to fall from the sky. But something was different. The rain was jet black. Like ink. "Black rain….." Aurora whispered, surprised to find that the rain tasted no different than normal. But Koga replied, "Death is weeping….. Your love for Ashton….. Your devotion and adoration for him….. It must have moved it to its very core. Such a miracle has never occurred before. Even death itself could not find the will to destroy such a beautiful love. A love more enduring than any blood bond."

Ashton quietly stirred as he came to. "Is this…..what it's like in the belly of the reaper?" But he was soon greeted by a shriek, "Ashton! You're OK!" Ruby leapt at him as he sat up. "You're OK, aren't you? You're not in pain?" The viscount replied, "I'm feeling pretty exhausted and a bit sore." Serenade then came over to him, "Allow me." She then pressed her hands to his arm and applied Recover to it. But when Ashton looked around, he found the valley filled with dozens, perhaps hundreds, of shinobi and kunoichi. "What the…?" One of the shinobi, a man wearing a white hawk mask, walked over to him and spoke, "Ashton of Green Mile, I am relieved to see that you are well. We retrieved your weapon and returned it to your room at the Akatsuki Inn." Ashton asked, "But…why so many of you?" The shinobi replied, "When the Yamata no Orochi was summoned, a state of emergency was sounded and ninja throughout the land hurried to face the beast. But by the time we got here, the Orochi was gone. And we are very grateful to you for your aid." A kunoichi then walked over to Ashton and kneeled before him, "Your name shall be remembered as the hero from the Far West. What title should we remember you by?" Ashton smiled, "The Angel of the Eternal Flame."

Ashton tried to stand up, but collapsed from exhaustion. "Guess I'm more worn out than I thought." But at his fall, a number of ninja approached him, "No, Ashton. Allow us." Together, the shinobi lifted Ashton above them and formed two rows as they held him over their shoulders. "You have done much for our home. It is time we return the favor." Ashton chuckled, "If you insist. Oh?" In the moonlight, Ashton noticed something shine in the distance. "Excuse me. I noticed something over there." The same kunoichi from before nodded, "I got it." With great speed, she ran over to the spot where Ashton pointed to. A moment later, she ran back with a familiar sword in hand. "The design seems to be western. Is it yours, Ashton?" But the viscount gasped, "The Grass Long Sword." She gasped, "Grass Long Sword? You mean the Kusanagi?" Ashton nodded, "Yes. The High Priest used it against us. After his death, I must have forgotten about it." The kunoichi nodded, "I see. I suppose I will deliver it to the emperor." Ashton yawned, "Sure. You do that. I just want to get some sleep." As the shinobi returned home, Ashton drifted off to sleep as his new friends carried him back to town.

The next day at noon, Ashton and his eight servants kneeled before the emperor in the imperial palace as Koga looked on. "Ashton….. Words cannot describe my gratitude to you for what you have done for our land." He then bowed before Ashton, along with his advisors and everyone else present, including Koga. "You have vanquished a great evil that was thought to have been long gone. For this, I will reward you with anything you wish that is within my power." Ashton blushed, "Anything? Anything at all?" The emperor smiled, "Indeed, my boy. Just name it." The viscount grinned, "Well, I would appreciate it if my ship, the Flying Duskull, was restocked with supplies for the journey home. She also sustained damage on the way here from a pirate attack. I'd be grateful if you could repair the damage. There isn't that much. And if it's all right with you, I would like to stay here for another three weeks." The emperor then gave Ashton a surprised stare, "That is all? Are you certain?" Ashton nodded, "I'm a viscount! I'm already quite wealthy!" Just then, the emperor clapped his hands as he stood up, "Such a pittance! A hero such as you deserves much more than this!" At the sound of his hands clapping, a servant brought in what seemed to be a sword wrapped in purist silk.

"Please accept this, if nothing else." The emperor pleaded as he took a seat. The servant handed the sword to Ashton and left through the way he came. "My specialty is the zweihander. But I could always use a souvenir." But when Ashton unwrapped the sword, he gasped at the sight before him. "This is….." The emperor added, "Yours. This is my gift to you." Ashton held the blade above him. "The Grass Long Sword. The Kusanagi…" The emperor smiled, "That sword was originally found on the corpse of the Yamata no Orochi. And since you are the one who vanquished it, it is only fair that you claim it as your own." Ashton shuddered, "A legendary sword….. A weapon without equal…" He stood up, "Thank you! I am not particularly skilled with this design of sword, but I will treasure it nonetheless!" The emperor bowed, "I am glad that you like it. Before you leave, a sheath will have been crafted for it. All I ask in return is that you always keep it safe. Do not allow it to disappear. There have been many treasure hunters who have spent their lives searching for it. Do not allow it to become a sword of myth once again." Ashton bowed, "You have my word."

That night, Ashton and his eight servants stood just outside the Akatsuki Inn in a bamboo garden that was off to the side. "You girls have been following me everywhere. Can't you just leave me alone sometimes?" Aurora replied, "Not this time. We nearly lost you yesterday. We want to be near you until we leave so that nothing will happen to you again." Ashton sighed, "I'm sorry I worried you so. I vow that I will never resort to that technique again." But just then, Laura called out, "Ooh, a meteor shower!"

Ashton and the others gazed upward at the night sky. They could see many shooting stars flying by that gave off a reddish glow. They seemed to be flying west. But while the girls were pleased by the spectacle, Ashton could not help but feel that this was a bad omen. He then turned to Chiara and spoke, "Chiara, bring one of those stars down here." The Lugia asked, "You want me to WHAT?" He spoke again, "Now. Something's not right here." The Lugia nodded and looked to the sky. A moment later, her eyes glowed a light blue as she spoke, "There!" As Ashton expected, one of the stars stopped moving. "Strange….. It's not that far away at all." A moment later, the 'star' floated down in front of Ashton. It was still glowing a reddish color. Ashton then grabbed the 'star' as it was small enough to fit in the palm of his hand.

"This thing…feels like it's trying to fly away." Ashton said as he held the object with both hands. He then led the girls inside to examine it. Once in Ashton's room, he opened his hands and watched as the object flew into the western wall of the room. Unable to get outside, it stayed there against the wall. "Strange little creature…" Ashton walked over to it and took it between two fingers. "Upon closer inspection…..it looks like a piece of metal." Cassandra asked, "Metal? Maybe an arrowhead?" Ashton shook his head, "I doubt it. I can feel a faint malevolent presence in this thing. But I doubt it's anything we have to worry about. And the way it tries to fly west….. It's like a lost child trying to return home." Ashton then proceeded outside and held the tiny metal fragment above him. "Fly home, little one." With that, he released his grip and watched the shard fly after its brethren. But as he walked back inside, Ashton spoke to himself, "But that monster Captain Lance warned me about….. A being that feeds on the souls of the living….. What in the world could it be?"


	21. The Voyage Home

Just past noon, Ashton slowly slid on his shoulder pads and breastplate before securing his flowing blue cape. He then placed his trusty zweihander on his back. Lastly, he reached for his newest acquisition, the Kusanagi. "It still flatters me that the emperor himself would offer such a weapon to me." The blade of the Kusanagi was securely sheathed in a black wooden scabbard that had been specially designed for it. From a glance, it looked like an ordinary broadsword. "I'll have to practice using this sometime." He then slid open the door to his room and stepped outside before taking one last look inside. He had left it almost as neat as it was when he arrived.

Ashton slowly made his way down the hall towards the entrance. Standing near it was Yuriko. "We enjoyed our stay, Yuriko. Thank you for being so hospitable." The host bowed and spoke with her heavily accented voice, "It was a pleasure. And I thank you for saving us from the Yamata no Orochi, Lord Ashton. Please do come back sometime." Ashton smiled, "I will someday. Oh, but before I go, I have a little parting gift for you." He then handed her a small chest. It was filled with currency of the Far East. Yuriko gasped, "But this is…?" The viscount nodded, "Take it. It's useless to me once I leave this land anyway. And my vessel has been restocked with supplies. And I still have some left for when I return. I'm not giving it all away." Yuriko nodded, "Thank you very much, my lord. Now it is my turn to thank you." Before Ashton could react, the young woman gave him a sweet little kiss on the lips for only a moment. She then smiled, "Take care on your journey home." Ashton smirked, "Oh, I won't be alone. I have some of the finest allies I could ask for waiting for me."

Just outside the Akatsuki Inn, Ashton found his eight servants waiting for him. They all gazed at him as if awaiting orders. But Ashton then noticed Zandria with a tearful expression on her face. "Something troubling you, Zandria?" The Zangoose sniffled, "I'm just….going to miss the food of this land badly. It was so good, and I didn't even put on any weight." Ashton chuckled, "Don't worry too much. Knowing you, you probably wrote down the recipes of every single type of food you tried and their recipes. And I wouldn't be surprised if our food supplies contain the ingredients you need for them." Zandria's face lit up at this, "Seriously? Then I'll make some tonight!" Ashton smiled, "That's the spirit. But let's be on our way. It's been three weeks since we slew the Orochi. And we can always come back another time."

On their way toward the harbor, they passed by a familiar complex. But when they passed by the entrance, a familiar young woman stepped out to meet the entourage. "Heading home, Serenade?" Serenade gasped and smiled, "Hanako! Good to see you!" The young Hyuga nodded, "Just wanted to send you off after helping me out!" That reminded Serenade, "Did it help? Are you more popular with the boys now?" Hanako gave her a sly smirk as she reached for the upper half of her robe. Ashton noticed this and turned away. "See for yourself." Ashton heard the sound of cloth being waved and asked Cassandra, "Did she do what I think she did?" The Absol nodded with an embarrassed look, "Yes. She pulled open her robe and her chest is hanging out….." Serenade blushed, "What in the…" Hanako gave a tiny hop, causing her D-cup breasts to jiggle. "What do you think? Pretty nice, right?" Serenade then asked, "Do you like them?" Hanako laughed, "Like them? I LOVE THEM! They're perfect! Just the right size, perfect softness, and not too heavy either! I'll have no trouble finding a man now!" Serenade gave a nervous smile, "I'm…glad to hear it. Now please close your robe before someone spots you like this." Hanako giggled as she wrapped her chest with her robe, "Right, right, sorry about that. But seriously, have a safe journey home. Maybe by the time you return, I'll have found a real hunk!" Serenade gave a smile while thinking to herself, (She's like a human version of Laura…)

After passing through the busy marketplace near the harbor, Ashton noticed a familiar presence. "Master Koga, did you come here to wish us a safe voyage?" Leaning against some crates behind the group was Koga. "But of course. It is only natural to send my star pupil off with a smile." Ashton turned to face his mentor, "Star pupil? I'm not that special." Koga smiled, "You're modest too. Good. Don't let your strength go to your head." Together, they proceeded to the harbor. Koga pointed ahead, "Your vessel is right over there. I believe you will find the repairs to be pleasing." It took Ashton a moment to actually identify the Flying Duskull as it look like it had only just been constructed. "It's just like new!"

After boarding the Flying Duskull, Ashton turned to wave goodbye to his mentor. But during the climb up the gangplank, several dozen ninja had gathered along the piers. "What the… What's this?" Ashton shouted, fearing that this was a surprise attack. But in unison, every ninja present kneeled and shouted, "Best wishes to you, Angel of the Eternal Flame!" Ashton blushed in embarrassment, but called back, "Farewell, my friends! May our paths cross again someday!" But when he looked back at Koga, they shared a long glance with each other. He then spoke, "I'm planning another visit to Rohta in a few months. Watch for me, Ashton!" Ashton smiled, "Then I'll see you there! Take care, Koga-sensei!" With that, the sails of the Flying Duskull were filled with a strong breeze as Ashton ran up to the helm. "Our next destination: Rohta!"

That evening, Ashton rested in his cabin while closely examining the blade of the Kusanagi. "Absolutely brilliant. Whoever forged this blade must have been a remarkable person with unmatched skills." Just then, he felt Laika nudge him. Unlike most times, she was laying across his lap. "You're being unusually clingy tonight." The Mightyena whispered, "I…just don't want to lose you…" Ashton sighed as he caressed her head, "Are you still blaming yourself for that? It is your duty to protect me from all threats, but there was nothing you could do to protect me from the Orochi. That beast was completely out of your league. Even I couldn't bring that monster down on my power alone, and I have the Eternal Flame at my disposal. To be honest, it should be me who is protecting you." But before Laika could object, there was a knock at the door as someone opened it. Laura peeked in, "Ashy…um, I mean Ashton. Dinner's ready. Zandria told me to let you know we are to assemble in the galley." Ashton smiled as he slid the Kusanagi back into its scabbard, "Thank you. We will join you shortly."

A few minutes later, Ashton sat at the head of a long table with seven of his servants seated or standing along the sides. Zandria then came over with a large bowl of soup. "Ashton, I'm letting you taste my newest dish first!" She then placed the bowl before him. The soup contained shrimp, crab, scallops, seaweed, and many soba noodles. The soup smelled like miso soup, but the color said otherwise. But the very sight of the food was beginning to make Ashton's mouth water. "If you wish for me to taste it, I shall." Taking a soup spoon in hand, he scooped up some crab with the broth and took a sip. The flavor was a bit sweeter than the flavor of miso soup. Ashton smiled, "This is…fantastic!" He then started to slurp away as Zandria brought out more bowls of soup for herself and the others. But before they started to eat, all seven spoke in unison, "Itadakimasu!" Zandria blushed as she smiled, "Such polite table manners!"

For the next week, Zandria cooked meals consisting of recipes entirely from the Far East as they headed home. But only a week after departing from the Far East, Ashton was resting in his cabin while once again examining the Kusanagi by candlelight. But the ship was suddenly rocked by something bumping into it from the side. Laika's ears perked up. But Ashton placed his hand on her, "Stay behind me. I'm curious of what the Grass Long Sword is capable of." He then stepped outside his cabin with Laika behind him. When he reached the door that led out to the deck, he found his other seven servants there waiting for him. Without a word, they stepped aside, allowing Ashton to reach the door. But when he walked outside, a familiar voice shouted, "Ahoy, Ashton! Fancy seeing you here! I was just on my way back to fetch you!"

The viscount looked to his right to see a familiar vessel alongside the Flying Duskull. A number of sailors quickly tied the two ships together to prevent them from drifting apart. A moment later, a certain young woman crossed over from the other ship and approached Ashton. "What's this? You trying out a new style, Ashton? Never knew you had a thing for something that small." Ashton chuckled, "Nah, just keeping it handy as a side arm. Not that I had any intention of using it on you, Black Mist."

Black Mist smiled, "I have to say, you look more like a man than I remember! What say you we head over to your cabin for…eh?" Ashton suddenly covered her mouth and whispered, "I'd watch what I say if I were you. Due to a certain incident during our stay in the Far East, the ladies have been unusually protective of me." Once Ashton removed his hand from her mouth, Black Mist sighed, "Phew, I gotcha. But seriously, that's a nice sword you got there. Nice scabbard too." Ashton nodded, "Thank you. They were a gift from the emperor himself."

Black Mist asked, "So, seeing that you're heading away from the Far East, you must be going home to Rohta. Am I right?" Ashton nodded, "We are." But Ashton gave her a solemn stare, "Black Mist… Did you…?" The pirate captain noticed and sighed, "Yeah. I made sure to get Serra to the queen. She's sitting in cold storage now. When we got there, the soldiers tried to arrest us. But when I told them we were there on your behalf, they let us through. The queen took the news pretty hard."

Ashton gave a slight smile, "Thank you for keeping your word. Hm?" Ashton then noticed something about the sail of the Perla Celeste. "Just a moment." He then crossed over to the Perla Celeste's deck and took a good look at the sail. "Is that…..the crest of Rohta?" The sail had what seemed to be a shield with three swords sticking up under it from three angles with a red avian shape in the center. Ashton then looked over at Black Mist, "Last I checked, you were pirates!" But the pirate laughed, "Not anymore! You're looking at the captain of Rohta's naval forces!"

Ashton shouted, "Naval forces? But the kingdom of Rohta has no navy!" But Black Mist explained, "It does now. Well, kind of. The Perla Celeste is the only vessel in service at the moment. A few dozen other vessels are being refitted for combat roles." But Aurora then asked, "But you are pirates. Why would the queen appoint you as the leader of the new navy?" Black Mist explained, "It's true that me and my mates have a reputation as pirates, but after we brought Serra home, she made us an offer. Seeing as how we are pirates, we are skilled in combat at sea. If we agreed to become the leaders of the navy, she would pardon us for any trouble we've caused and lift the bounty from our heads. And the pay's pretty good too. So you see, we've gone from pirates to pirate hunters." Ashton laughed, "She must have a lot of faith in you!" But Black Mist joked, "To be honest, she said that any friend of you is a friend of Rohta!"

A short while later, Ash and Black Mist were relaxing in Ashton's cabin while Laika rested in his lap. "Blow me down. You're serious? The Yamata no Orochi?" Ashton nodded, "It was hell. I really wish I had some sake at the time. The battle would've gone much more smoothly for us." Black Mist giggled, "I knew there was something crazy about you when you sank the Leviathan. But taking on a beast of legend? Now I know it. You're nuts! Not even a bloke who drank ten jugs of rum would be that crazy!" Ashton chuckled, "Makes you wonder what Susano was thinking when he fought the Orochi."

After sharing some stories, Black Mist asked, "So, have you thought it over?" Ashton gave her an odd look, "Thought what?" Black Mist then gave him an amorous gaze as she slowly uncrossed her legs and set both feet on the floor, "My offer." She then slowly stood up, "You said to give you some time. So, have you fallen for me?" At this, Laika prepared herself to pounce. But Ashton gulped, "Um, sorry. Still too soon. I'm still fond of you, but I'm still not quite there." Black Mist let out a chuckle, "Taking your time, huh? Fine by me. That should make the moment even sweeter when you say yes." She then yawned, "Well, time to turn in." But as she made her way to the door, Black Mist turned back and gave Ashton a wink, "There's still no ring on my finger. I'll wait as long as I have to." But when she opened the door, Black Mist added, "Even if it's too soon to make our vows, just call me if you need some 'release'. See ya tomorrow." Ashton gulped, "Release? Oh man, she is one brazen lass."

Over the course of 50 days, the Flying Duskull and the Perla Celeste glided across the ocean together. Ashton grumbled as he stood at the helm, "It's been 57 days in all. Feels like this voyage is taking longer than it should." Chiara sighed, "Perhaps the wind has been weaker than usual, slowing us down." But a moment later, the lookout in the crow's nest of the Perla Celeste shouted, "Captain Ashton, land ho!" At this, Ashton ran to the bow and gazed out towards the sea. After a brief moment, he could see a landmass ahead. "Home at last! Chiara, go fetch Aurora! We're almost home!" The Lugia nodded and made her way back inside. Soon, Black Mist came up on deck. "Something up?" Ashton nodded, "Yes. I need you to cut the ropes that are holding our vessels together." Black Mist nodded and drew her snake sword. With a few lashes of its extended blade, the two ships separated. "We're going to dock in Green Mile! Serra is still at the castle, so I'll see you there!" Black Mist called as they parted ways.

A short while later, the Flying Duskull approached a waterfall pouring down from above it. "Now!" Aurora focused for a moment, causing the waterfall to come to a complete stop. Once the ship had entered the cave beneath the Crimson estate, Chiara created gentle gusts of wind to propel the ship towards the dock while Aurora made the water under them rotate the ship until it was facing the entrance to the cave. Once docked, Laura lowered the gangplank with her telekinesis. Ashton spoke, "You girls stay here and unload the cargo. I need to head into town." But Serenade replied, "I'm coming too. You need me to dispel the barrier."

After disposing of the barrier, Ashton made his way to Green Mile with Serenade at his side. "May I ask why you insisted on coming?" The Gardevoir replied, "Just a hunch." Upon reaching Green Mile, the two siblings encountered Black Mist. "Told you I'd see you here. Come on. I'll show ya the way." The sultry captain led the two siblings to the castle, where they were readily allowed inside. Black Mist then guided them into the main hall, carefully eyeing the shinobi sentries hiding behind the many pillars. "I'll wait by the entrance. I'm sure you're the only one she wishes to see." Serenade also stayed behind with Black Mist. Silently, Ashton proceeded down the hall until he stood before the queen herself. They shared a long solemn gaze with each other before the queen sobbed, "I'm so sorry. I never should have allowed Serra to accompany you."

Ashton sighed, "I know it hurts. Serra threw her life away for my own." The queen wept, "She was always so devoted to you. You and her would have made an ideal couple should I have made it law for humans and Pokémon to be equals." Ashton frowned, "That is quite enough, my lady. You know why I am here, don't you?" The queen silently nodded and looked towards one of the shinobi guards. He nodded and vanished in a blur of blackness. A moment later, the shinobi appeared from nowhere with the partially frozen corpse of Serra. After setting her before him, the shinobi returned to his post. Ashton then created a weak Flamethrower to carefully thaw Serra out. "There's no need to keep her preserved now. It won't be long before she receives a proper burial."

After hoisting Serra onto his shoulders, Ashton smiled at the queen, "Thank you for keeping her preserved for so long." The queen nodded while wiping a tear away, "It was the least I could do for someone who saved me." But just as he was turning towards the door, Ashton looked back at the queen and asked, "Before I can forget, have you heard any rumors about something wandering this kingdom? Something in possession of a sword similar to my own?" The queen gave him a puzzled look, "What? No. You are the only person in this kingdom that wields a zweihander as large as yours. If something like that was seen in this land, rumors surely would have reached me. Why do you ask?" Ashton turned towards the exit, "Just a hunch….."

Shortly after leaving the castle, Black Mist spoke up, "I'll be around if you need me, Ashton. Try to cheer up. There are plenty of other girls out there. And I'm always available for a wedding." Ashton blushed, "I thought I told you I haven't decided yet." Black Mist laughed, "Fine, I get it. Just let me know when you make up your mind." She then gave him a playful wink as she headed towards the harbor. After a moment more, Ashton stopped. "Something wrong, brother?" Ashton turned to his left, "We need to pick up a tombstone for Serra." Ahead of him was the local cathedral. Serenade gulped, "Ashton, that place makes me feel uneasy. You know how they are about humans and Pokémon together." Ashton replied, "Yes, but you and I are siblings. If they have a problem with that, they'll have to deal with me."

After stepping inside the cathedral, Ashton could hear multiple monks making their daily prayers. "May I help you?" A voice spoke from the right. Ashton turned to face the owner of the voice. "Father Pietro." The priest had tan skin and spiky brown hair while his eyes seemed to be shut at a glance. He was also quite elderly as his face was much wrinkled. "Ashton. I seldom see you here." The viscount spoke, "I need a tombstone for my childhood friend here." The priest nodded, "Yes, I know of the bond the Dragon Masters have with their partners. This way."

Father Pietro led Ashton to a side room filled with marble tombstones. "Choose whichever you like." Ashton pointed to one and Serenade walked over to it and levitated it with telekinesis. After handing Pietro some gold coins as payment, the two siblings turned to leave. But before they could reach the doors, Pietro spoke, "One moment, if you please." Ashton grumbled, (Something tells me I am not going to like this…) The priest spoke, "Ashton, I have heard disturbing rumors that you are performing the unthinkable with your servants behind closed doors. Although love is a beautiful thing, all God's creatures have their place in this world. And humans and Beasts are not meant to have that kind of relationship with each other. I'm certain that they are just rumors, but just be careful to not stray down the path of evil."

Serenade brought her hands to her mouth, nearly losing her focus on the floating tombstone. (Don't lose it now, Ashton. Not here…) Ashton began to tremble, "What did you call them?" Ashton looked over his shoulder at the priest. Pietro staggered back at the sight of Ashton's eyes. They were now red. "You are extremely lucky that you are a holy man. But if you ever refer to my family as Beasts again, so help me, I will cut you down without a second thought. And don't tell me that Pokémon and humans cannot coexist like that when my only family is Pokémon. It's not that difficult to tell what is right and wrong." He then turned away from the frightened priest, "Good day to you, sir."

Once Ashton returned to the Crimson estate, he looked about for a proper place to bury Serra. He then noticed a bare spot to the right of the steps to the front door. "That looks about right." He then walked over to the spot and pointed to where he wanted the tombstone. Serenade nodded and set the tombstone down. Ashton then waited as Serenade raised a large chunk of earth out of the ground. Ever so gently, the viscount lowered his beloved into the ditch. But before he instructed Serenade to cover the Salamence, he gave Serra one last tearful kiss. "Goodbye, my love." He then signaled for Serenade to lower the earth onto Serra, even though it still looked as if someone had gone at it with a shovel.

Ashton then went inside to fetch a chisel and hammer from the cellar. Once he came back outside, he pushed the tombstone on its back. He then began to chisel away at the face of the tombstone. After no less than twenty minutes, Ashton pulled the tombstone up until it was standing again. He nodded, satisfied with the result. "Serra, I will find love anew, but I will never forget the bond we shared." He then wiped his tears away as he entered his home for the evening.

On the tombstone, Ashton has inscribed, "Here lies Serra Crimson, fiancé to Ashton Redford Crimson. Died defending the one she loved. May her regal and fierce heart never be forgotten."


	22. Ashton's Romantic Dilemma

"Come on….. I can do this….. NO!" Garyson shouted as Ashton sent his rapier flying out of his hand with a swing of the Flamberge. The viscount then quickly brought the blade to his friend's neck. "Checkmate." Garyson chuckled, "That makes two wins for you. Maybe I'm just out of practice. You have been gone for at least three months, after all." But Ashton replied as he placed the Flamberge on his back, "Don't feel so down. You lasted much longer this time." Garyson snorted, "At least you didn't break my weapon this time." The two old friends had a good laugh as they remembered Garyson's first loss.

"So, same time next month?" Garyson asked. Ashton nodded, "Count on it. Just don't keep me waiting." The two rivals shared a friendly handshake and waved goodbye after Garyson retrieved his weapon. Once he lost sight of Garyson, Ashton turned to face Cassandra, "So, how did your sculpting come along?" The Absol breathed a sigh of exhaustion, "I thought I would never get them back to normal! Those bushes really ran wild while we were gone!" Ashton laughed, "I can imagine!"

Meanwhile, Zandria was making her rounds with the lunch of the day. Her first stop was Ruby's room. "Ruby, got some more food here that'll remind you of home!" When she entered, Zandria found Ruby slipping out of her maid uniform. "Just finish making your rounds for the day?" The Lucario nodded, "Yes. All done for now!" She then took a seat at a small table in her room as Zandria pushed her cart over. "Recognize this?" When she lifted the domed lid, a plume of steam rose up. "Teriyaki Barbeque!" Ruby stared at the delectable chunks of beef and seafood that lined the plate. "The smell is making my mouth water…" Zandria took a deep whiff, "Oh yeah, I owe those folks in the Far East for sharing their recipes with me." But after taking in another breath of the aroma, the Zangoose noticed another scent in the air. "Huh?" Ruby looked over at the Zangoose, "Something wrong?" Zandria replied, "Something smells…..weird…"

Zandria began to sniff the air for the source of the strange odor. "Where's it coming from?" But after a moment, her nose led her over to Ruby. "You?" Zandria began to sniff the Lucario's head while steadily going down her body. When she reached Ruby's waist, she could smell a very strong scent. "Hold still for a second." The Zangoose then grabbed Ruby's legs and held them apart. "Lady Zandria, this is very awkward. Do you really need to do this?" Zandria replied, "I'll be done in a moment." She then pressed her nose against the very center of Ruby's blue pants. The scent was very powerful. It even aroused her a little. Ruby then cried, "Lady Zandria, stop! This doesn't feel right!" Zandria then let go of her and blushed, "Sorry, but I was just being thorough. Anyway, there's a really powerful strong odor coming from your…well…your vagina, to be blunt. Any idea what it might mean?" Ruby blushed slightly, "I haven't told anyone, but I have just gone into heat."

Zandria gave Ruby a sly look, "Ooh, you feeling pretty fertile, huh? Been having naughty thoughts lately?" Ruby giggled, "Stop teasing me, Lady Zandria!" But she then added, "Well, a few. It's hard to think straight sometimes." She then asked, "What about you? When was the last time you were in heat?" But Zandria shook her head, "Never. Zangoose don't have heat cycles. But there are times when we females are more fertile than usual. And I've never seen the other six go into heat. I guess you're the only one of us who does." Ruby shrugged her shoulders, "I suppose I am. Well, I'll just get started on this tasty dish you cooked up." Ruby said as she turned to her meal. Zandria smiled, "I'm sure you'll like it. And if you need anything, me and the other girls will be in the dining room. I cooked so much; I couldn't bring it all to them." She then grabbed her cart and proceeded down the hall.

Ruby sighed in contentment as she savored the savory flavor of her food. "Mmmm. Now this is tasty." She then finished off her meal with a gulp of tea that Zandria had provided. "So good. Definitely reminds me of the Far East." Ruby then fell backwards onto her bed and stared at the ceiling, a tad sleepy from her full belly. Her mind began to wander, drifting across her memories. She remembered the day when Ashton brought her into his home. Then the time he protected her from a few armed thugs. More and more memories drifted back to her. And then, a truly horrific memory that brought her no happiness. The moment just after Ashton had slain the Yamata no Orochi. The moment before he would disappear forever. He would have been gone not just in life, but in death as well.

Ruby suddenly felt a powerful tremor rock her body as she clutched her abdomen. Her uterus began to throb as her heat burned away at her. Ruby groaned with pain as she rolled off the bed and onto the floor. Her womb was demanding satisfaction, something she could not give it on her own. But it was during this moment that something passed through Ruby's mind. "I almost lost him then….. And if I almost lost him then, there's no telling when I'll lose him for good. He might be here today and gone tomorrow!" A moment passed, and Ruby's heat receded. Panting, she climbed to her feet, "No more. I won't live a lie any longer! I don't care if it's a forbidden love! I want him. No, I need him! I need him to know!" She then ran outside her room and shouted, "Ashton!"

Ruby ran down the hall, searching for her master. But she then noticed a delectable aroma. "Wait… Zandria said that she and the others were gathering in the dining room. Could Ashton be there too?" But when Ruby burst into the dining room, she only found the other seven servants staring at her from her noisy entrance. "Where is he?" Ruby shouted. Laura asked, "You mean Ashton? Why? What's bugging you?" Ruby panted, "I need to find Ashton." Chiara then asked, "What for? Is it urgent?" Ruby cried, "Yes! I need to find him and confess my feelings! I can't deny my love for him any longer! I need him!"

Ruby's confession shocked the other seven ladies to their core, causing them to choke on food, drop their utensils, or spew their drink depending on what they were doing at the time. Ruby then turned to the door, "Maybe he's in the master bedroom." But just before she reached the door, it slammed shut as Zandria stood before it with her hand against it. "Lady Zandria?" The Zangoose glared, "Don't you dare touch the man I desire. He is mine and mine alone." But Cassandra shouted, "No! You know I'm the one he wants!" But Laura yelled, "But I live for him! My every thought is about my dear Ashton! I'm the most devoted to him, so I deserve him the most!" But Serenade objected, "Impossible! I have known him my entire life! I am the most suited to be his bride!" Cassandra shouted, "You're out of your mind! You can't marry your own brother!" But the Gardevoir replied, "I'm his sister in name only. We share no relation at all." But Chiara jumped in, "I have devoted all my spare time to gathering knowledge to support him! My wisdom is vital to him! I am his most important servant!" But the usually silent Laika roared, "You're wrong! I am his personal guardian! I fight to defend him, and die for him if I must! I need him as much as he relies on me!" But Aurora objected, "You are all too young to understand! I command the activities of this estate along side him! I am already his wife in some terms! And as they say; age before beauty! And I am well over three centuries old!" The eight ladies began shouting arguments back and forth at each other for a minute more, but Ruby lost her patience and leapt at Serenade, "He is mine! All mine! Stay out of my way!" With a Force Palm, she sent the surprised Gardevoir flying to the far side of the room. But just before impacting the wall, Serenade stopped herself with telekinesis before dropping to her feet. She raised a hand, "I dare you to try that again." One by one, the eight servants joined in the battle royal in a frantic skirmish to claim Ashton as their own.

In his bedroom, Ashton relaxed while examining the Kusanagi. "No matter how many times I look at this blade, it takes my breath away. I guess it's the Kusanagi's legacy that makes it so much more appealing that most other weapons." But at that moment, an explosion rocked the manor. Ashton was startled so badly, he fell out of his chair. "What the hell? Are we under attack? Sounded like it came from inside." He then ran over to where he had the Flamberge hanging on the wall, but froze as he reached for the hilt. He could imagine the damage he would cause to his home if he tried to swing the massive blade around. Blue in the face, he shuddered, "Ooh….. That's a scary thought." He then looked over at the Kusanagi, which had fallen to the floor. "Much more compact." Ashton ran over to the Kusanagi and took it in hand, leaving the scabbard behind. He then ran down the hall towards where he felt the shockwave originate from.

Ashton became more cautious as the sound of battle grew louder. Holding the Kusanagi in his right hand, he pressed himself against the wall next to the door that led to the dining room. "Must be bandits trying to abduct my servants." But when Ashton burst into the room with his sword raised, his face went blank at the sight of his eight servants attacking each other with reckless abandon. "What…the…hell…" A gaping hole caused by a stray Shadow Ball from Laika was in the wall that separated the dining room from an unused guest room. Throughout the dining room, plates and trays of unfinished food had been tossed about and the long table at the center had been smashed at the middle.

As he watched his eight servants going wild with anger, Ashton began to grip the Kusanagi tightly as rage and disgust began to fill him. When he could take no more, he screamed, "WHAT IN GOD'S NAME IS GOING ON HERE?" At the sound of his voice, all eight ladies froze and looked in his direction. "This is unacceptable behavior! I am absolutely disgusted with what you have done! Look at this mess! Look at what you've done to my home!" Ashton then slammed the door behind him and locked it. "What the devil possessed you girls to behave like this?" All eight women looked back and forth at each other as a sense of embarrassment and fear came over them. Zandria spoke first, "Lord Ashton, we are very sorry about this. But as much as I'd like to tell you our reasons, I can't. We'll clean this up right away. May we get to work?" But the angry viscount shouted, "Absolutely not! Not this time!" He then walked over to the gaping hole in the wall and stood in front of it with his sword in hand. "Until I know exactly what caused this, none of you are leaving this room!"

The eight ladies gulped in fear as they contemplated the consequences of revealing the truth to their master. They quietly whispered to each other. Ashton spoke, "I will wait for days or weeks if I have to. So who is going to explain this?" After a moment more, Aurora stepped forward. "Aurora, is it? Well then, what caused this to occur?" The Suicune sighed, "I was hoping to avoid this, but if I must tell you, I shall." Ashton nodded, "Well then, let's have it." Her heart racing with anxiety, Aurora spoke, "Ashton, as I'm sure you are aware, you have saved each of us from death or an unpleasant existence. In some ways, we owe you our lives. But the kingdom's view of Pokémon as mindless animals would cause us and maybe even you to be sentenced to death if our feelings for you were ever discovered."

Ashton raised an eyebrow at Aurora's confession, "Feelings for me? What are you getting at?" Aurora struggled to hold back tears, "Ashton, we have always loved you. Our very lives have been dedicated to you ever since each of us was brought into your home." Ashton nodded, "I know you love me. And I love you too. All of you are my family." But Aurora shook her head, "No… You do not understand. The love of another as a friend…or a sibling… Our love is much stronger than that." Ashton's eyes began to go wide, "What… What are you saying?" Aurora replied, "The reason why we lost control was because of what happened in the Far East. Where we nearly lost you forever. You, the man we desire." By now, tears had begun to trickle down Aurora's muzzle, "We were afraid that you would be gone someday. That we would lose our opportunity to tell you." Aurora then screamed, "We do not wish to love you as a sister, or a servant, but as a loving and devoted wife!"

Ashton was taking by such surprise that he dropped his sword. "What...are you saying?" Aurora sobbed, "Each of us has been in love with you for some time now. We each wanted you as a husband, as a man who would sire our offspring. But we also know you can choose only one of us. That is the cause behind what just occurred here." She then asked, "Ashton, we must know now. Which of us do you choose as your bride? Or do you even want us at all?" Ashton slowly scanned the opposite side of the room. The eyes of his servants were filled with hope, pleading for him to choose them.

Ashton bowed his head as he leaned against the wall for balance. "I….. I am truly flattered that you each want me so… That you would choose a lowly human over one of your own…" But the viscount added, "But I need to rethink this… I need to decide this matter in private." As he staggered towards the door, he spoke, "You girls clean up here. But until I decide, I do not wish to be disturbed." He then left the room and staggered down the hall towards his bedroom. Until they heard the door shut, the eight ladies did not budge. They sighed in unison, guilty that they had placed such a burden on their master.

About five hours later, Zandria came by Ashton's room with a cart of food and knocked, "Ashton? I've prepared dinner." There was no response. "It's your favorite! That tasty seafood soup I cooked up when we left the Far East." But he still did not reply. Almost in a panic, Zandria pounded the door, "Ashton, say something! You're scaring me to death!" A quiet voice replied, "Leave me alone, Zandria." The Zangoose breathed a sigh of relief, "But aren't you hungry?" The viscount replied, "Not really." The Zangoose sighed, "All right… I'll try another time…" She then shuffled off with the cart in front of her.

Outside the viscount's bedroom, Laura was peeking in through the windows. "Oh Ashy… Why did we have to act up like that?" But just when it seemed that Ashton did not know she was there, he suddenly looked over his shoulder at the Latias, his eyes a scary red. "EEK!" Laura flew out of sight in an instant. Ashton looked to the floor as he continued to pace. "Cheeky little Laura…. But is she the right choice?"

Another hour passed as Ashton struggled to make up his mind. He fell backwards onto his bed, "Urgh! I never imagined that choosing a bride could be this hard!" He tossed and turned, "Which one? Who should I choose?" He then tried to relax as he focused on the various traits of his eight servants. "Laura….. She's scatterbrained and is easily excited, but she puts effort into what she does and is very devoted to me. Ruby….. She is naïve and isn't very confident overall, but she is very sweet, tender, and tries hard for my sake. Chiara….. She can be something of a know-it-all and can be rude, but she is very wise and elegant. Aurora….. She can be overly protective, but she is motherly and makes logical and mature decisions. Cassandra….. She can overreact at times, but she is very loving and romantic who dislikes harming others. Zandria….. She is tomboyish and aggressive, but is passionate and looks out for those she cares for. Laika….. She is cold and does not show emotion often while lacking sympathy for others, but is very protective of me and is always concerned about my safety. Serenade….. Wait… Serenade? But she's my sister! I can't marry her! Guess that narrows it down slightly…" But Ashton groaned, "But choosing one out of seven is still hard! Who should I choose?" But Ashton then noticed the painting of Ruby where she was nude while wearing her choker. "Hmmmmm….." Ashton pondered the ordeal further.

Cassandra gently tapped the door of Ashton's bedroom, "Ashton? We finished cleaning up the dining room about an hour ago." There was no reply. "It is starting to get late. Are you sure you do not want Zandria to cook up some dinner for you?" Ashton then replied, "In a little while." Cassandra nodded, "I'll let her know right away." But before she could leave, Ashton spoke, "And another thing. I have decided who I want to be my bride." Cassandra gasped, "You have?" Ashton replied, "Yes. Alert the other girls and tell them to gather in the study. And for the love of dirt, don't start another brawl." Cassandra gulped, "Wouldn't even consider it! I'll see you soon, Ashton!" The Absol then ran down the hall to alert the others.

Five minutes later, all eight servants had gathered in the study. Serenade giggled, "I can't wait! The suspense is making me giddy!" Laura shrieked, "I know! I can't wait! Where is Ashy anyway?" A moment later, the viscount himself entered the study. The eight ladies waited in silent anticipation. Ashton looked back and forth at his eight servants, "I'm sure you are aware of why I have asked you to gather here." He then began to pace about, "I am very aware now of your feelings for me, and I too hold each of you very dearly to me. But as you said, I can only claim one of you as my bride." He then stopped and faced them, "It was not easy choosing one out of eight lovely ladies. I thought long and hard about this and considered each of your pros and cons. And I have come to my decision." He then pointed at Ruby, "Ruby." The Lucario gasped, "Yes, Ashton?" He then ordered, "Come here for a moment." Suspicious, the other seven ladies watched closely as the young Lucario approached her master. When she stood before him, Ashton spoke, "I have just one thing to say." To everyone's surprise, he then dropped to one knee and took her hand between both of his, "Will you marry me?"

Ruby was stunned. The man she desired, the man who meant everything to her, had just asked her to be his bride. Unable to speak, Ruby threw her arms around Ashton and pressed her lips against his. Ashton in turn did the same, kissing his new fiancé. But the other seven ladies felt as if a hot iron had been pressed into their hearts. Not one of them could stop themselves from crying. They were proud of their little sister for winning Ashton's heart, but were still devastated that they would never have him as a lover.

After breaking the kiss, Ashton noticed the sorrowful expressions on the faces of his other seven servants. Even though he had chosen Ruby to be his bride, he still felt pain and guilt to know he had hurt them so. Just then, he had an idea. He whispered something to Ruby, who nodded in agreement. He then let go of Ruby and stood up. "May I have your attention for a moment?" Halfheartedly, the other seven ladies turned to face him. "I can see just how disappointed each of you is that I did not choose you to be my bride. But there is no way around it. I can only choose one. However, I can offer each of you a consolation prize of sorts." Chiara gave Ashton a baffled glance, "Consolation prize? Of what kind?" Ashton then began to blush deeply, "Even though Ruby is my fiancé, I can still…..er…let you…man, this just doesn't feel right…..I mean, would you girls….. Ugh, no matter how I try to say this, it still feels terribly awkward…" Finally, Zandria groaned, "Just what is it you want to say?" Ashton then took a deep breath as he prepared to say it. In one breath, he spoke, "I'm giving you the choice to bear my children!" He then dropped to his knees, his face red with embarrassment, "For some reason, that sounded too wrong…"

The seven girls were completely silent with disbelief. Cassandra asked, "Ashton….. What did you say?" Ashton sighed, "I asked you if you ladies would be willing to have my babies." Zandria smirked, "I never thought you'd ask!" But Ashton then added, "However, the decision must be unanimous. If even one of you decides against it, I will not be able to give you my…..you know." Aurora then spoke, "Then let us discuss this matter." The seven ladies then gathered in a huddle, whispering amongst themselves. Laura whispered, "This is too good to be true! Who knows if we'll ever get another chance like this!" Serenade giggled, "True. But what about you, Aurora? You're well over 300 years old. Are you still capable of having children? The Suicune snorted, "Of course I am. I am immortal, so my body is always in its prime." After a moment more, the seven ladies faced their master. Chiara then spoke, "None of us have any objections. We would be honored to become mothers to your children."

Ashton smiled, "Even though I can only marry Ruby, I will still love each of you as a lover." He then brought a hand to his chin, "Now then, in what order should we do this?" But Zandria asked, "Order? Can't we just have you in one go?" But Ashton laughed, "Absurd! There's no way I could endure an orgy with eight women! I'd probably pass out after the fourth one!" They all laughed in unison with the exception of Laika. "We'll have to do this one night at a time. The only question is in what order and how to decide it."

Ashton paced back and forth, "Since Ruby is my fiancé, she has first rights. But what about the rest of you? Hmmm….." After a moment more, Cassandra asked, "How about the youngest goes first?" But Serenade added, "Or maybe the most endowed?" She then cupped one of her large breasts as an example. Just then, Ashton stopped, "Brilliant." He then faced the seven ladies, "How does this sound? The more tragic your lives were before meeting me, the sooner you go."

The seven girls looked back and forth at each other. He was right. Neither of their lives had been particularly pleasant before they met him. Chiara spoke, "I don't see why not. But who goes first?" Ashton pondered this some more. A moment later, he looked towards Laika. "Laika. Until you met me, you were abused, neglected, and otherwise tormented on a daily basis since shortly after you were born. I say you deserve to go first." The deathly silent Mightyena began to shed tears at the thought. "Ashton…. Thank you…" But the viscount spoke, "There's no need to cry, Laika. You will have your chance tomorrow."

Ashton then looked at Zandria, and then Cassandra. "Zandria, you were a slave before you met me and were raped as part of some sort of breeding attempt. Cassandra. You were nearly murdered by hunters from Slatis for a natural disaster you had nothing to do with." He then looked back and forth at them, "Hm! I can't decide which is worse!" Cassandra then asked, "If I might make a suggestion, how about taking us both at once?" Ashton gave her an odd glance, "Both of you?" Zandria smirked, "Ooh, a threesome. I'm pretty sure you could hold out long enough for both of us to have some of you." Ashton grumbled, "I'm not sure if I like it. But I can't think of anything better, so OK." The two rivals gave each other a grin, knowing that they would soon settle their rivalry in a peaceful manner.

Ashton looked over at Aurora, "Aurora, you were chased into a fast-flowing river by hunters from Slatis due to a flood they suspected you had caused. You then fell over a waterfall and nearly perished when your body crashed into the jagged rocks at the bottom. I say you should go next." The Suicune bowed, "It is an honor, my lord." He then looked at Laura, "Laura, you were cornered and attacked by the people of Verdant when you stole some food. Although they had a right to be upset about it, attacking you was still cruel. You go next." The Latias squealed, "Eeeee! Finally! Ashy and I are going to have babies!" Ashton went a little blue in the face, "Once again, don't call me that." He then turned to Chiara, "Chiara, I found you washed up on the shore of Green Mile after a powerful ocean storm. Although humans never harmed you, you nearly drowned and were likely separated from your family. I guess you go next." The midget Lugia smiled, "Last, but most certainly not least. The wait will make the moment even sweeter." But then Serenade asked, "Aren't you forgetting someone?"

Ashton looked at his sister, "Am I forgetting someone?" She then gave him a cute pose with her arms behind her, "There's still one left." But Ashton replied, "There is? I'm pretty sure I got all seven." But Serenade growled, "Ashton Redford Crimson, you're forgetting about me!" Ashton gave her a horrified stare, "You…. WHAT?" The Gardevoir nodded, "Yes. I want you just as much as the others do." But Ashton gulped, "But… But you're my sister!" But Serenade explained, "We are brother and sister in name only. Look at us. Do we look even the slightest bit similar? You are adopted, Ashton. We are not related at all." Ashton then asked, "Do you…..really love me so?" Serenade blushed, "Yes. I only wish I discovered my true feelings for you sooner." Ashton sighed, "I see. Then I suppose I cannot refuse you. But still, your life has not been very tragic at all. You and I had a good upbringing and little trauma. So I think you should go last." Serenade smiled, "Better late than never."

Ashton looked at his eight servants, "So then, any objections?" No one spoke up. "I'm looking forward to the next eight nights. But first, I need to explain the most important part." The eight ladies gave him a puzzled look. Ashton then peeked outside into the hall before closing the door and locking it. He then went over to the only window in the study and peeked outside before pulling the drapes closed. Aurora asked, "Why are you being so cautious?" Ashton then turned to face his eight servants, "I'm sure you already know. The act of humans having romantic relationships with Pokémon is forbidden and I, as well as each of you, could be executed for it." Each of them let out a gasp. "If word about this gets out, it will mean the end of us all. I will do my best to protect you and our children, but I still have my limits, even with the Eternal Flame." He then explained, "While you are pregnant, you are forbidden from leaving the estate. You may go outside, but never pass the walls that surround the manor. And when our children have been born, they must not be allowed outside until after the queen decrees that Pokémon are to be treated as equals. Understood?" All eight ladies nodded. Just then, Ashton's stomach let out a growl. "Oops. Thinking about this ordeal worked up an appetite. Is there any dinner left, Zandria?" The Zangoose chuckled, "I thought you'd be hungry by now. Just come with me."

That night, Ashton made his way down the hall towards his bedroom. He was feeling somewhat nervous about what would happen between him and Ruby. He did indeed love her, but he still felt uneasy at the thought of becoming a father at the age of 15. He soon came to his room and gently nudged the door open. "Ruby, are you here?" With the bedroom softly lit by several candles, he saw Ruby seated at the end of his bed. "Are we starting now?" The Lucario asked. Ashton nodded and entered before locking the door behind him.

Ashton asked, "Is this your first time?" Ruby nodded, "Yes. I have never mated before." Ashton smiled, "You're not the only one. I'm quite inexperienced myself." Ruby giggled, "Then this should be new to us. But what should we do first?" Ashton chuckled, "We have to undress." He then proceeded to remove his shirt and pants. "There. Now it's your turn." But Ruby stared at Ashton's bare body for a moment. His days as a knight and the battles he had fought through had really toned his body well. But what caught Ruby's eyes the most was Ashton's manhood. She began to drool at the sight of it.

"Um…Ruby? Are you hungry?" But as she continued to stare, Ruby's womb began to throb as her heat reached its peak. She suddenly gripped her abdomen. "Ruby? Are you hurt?" But the Lucario panted, "I'm in heat. My body demands me to mate." She then yanked her pants off and pleaded, "I can't stand this anymore! Ashton, take me!" Her delicate virgin lips were already moist with desire. Ashton gulped at her straightforward approach, "You're surprisingly brazen tonight." But Ruby then gave him a lustful gaze, "Don't be shy. I'm all yours. After all, I am the one you desire." She then swaggered over to him and leaned against Ashton's chest, "Am I right, my husband?"

Ashton smiled as he felt his betrothed embrace him. "Yes, you are quite right, my dear." He then gently scooped her up in his arms. They joined lips for a moment before Ashton laid Ruby down on his bed. "You said you are in heat, right?" Ruby nodded, "Yes. If we were to mate now, the chances of us having a child would very high." Ashton grinned, "Then we'd best take the opportunity!" Ruby then spread her black legs wide, offering her swollen womanhood to her lover. But Ashton then reached for one of Ruby's breasts before gently massaging it. "So soft. And the fur makes it even softer." Ruby gasped, "Don't stop! You have such gentle hands!" Ashton then grabbed both breasts and gently squeezed them. As he did so, Ashton's manhood began to stiffen.

"Hmmm….." Ashton looked down at his stiff member. "Seems I'm ready now. Shall we begin?" Ruby pleaded, "Yes, please! This heat is unbearable!" Holding himself up with his arms, Ashton thrust into Ruby's hot depths. She was very hot due to her heat, but Ashton did not mind. But he soon noticed a little blood coating his member after a moment. "Ruby, are you hurt?" But the Lucario gasped, "It's nothing. I'm a virgin, so it was supposed to do that. Besides, my heat hurts much more than this." Ashton breathed a sigh of relief, "I see. So a virgin bleeds a little on her first time. Guess that means I shouldn't be alarmed when the others bleed. Although I guess Zandria is an exception."

Ashton continued to make love to the woman who he had chosen to be his bride. Ruby was in ecstasy as she felt her inflamed walls gripping her master's member as he thrust into her. She gasped with each thrust, unable to move. She wished that this moment would last forever. She threw her arms around Ashton's neck while folding her legs over his lower back. Ashton could feel something building as he continued to thrust. It was the same sensation he felt when he mated with Zandria in the Far East. "Any moment now, Ruby." But when he felt his orgasm coming, he tried to hold it in the best he could to build up its strength. After a brief moment, Ashton thrust into Ruby one last time as she shrieked in orgasm as she felt her inner walls spasm. Ashton could not hold out with Ruby's warm flesh vibrating around his member and just thrust in as deep as he could and stayed there. He gasped as his member fired powerful jets of sperm into Ruby's burning womb. Only after Ashton felt his member stop throbbing did he pull out.

Ruby sighed as she felt Ashton's warm seed cover the walls of her uterus. The burning of her heat had weakened considerably. But some of the burning remained. She panted as she sat up, "Ashton….. That was lovelier…than I ever dreamed it would be." But she then crawled over Ashton, who was lying face up on his bed. "Still, it's not enough. I can still feel some of the burning." Ashton panted, "Seriously? That wasn't enough?" Ruby nodded, "I've never felt a heat as bad as this one before. But one more should be enough." Ashton panted, "I see. Just let me take a breather. That one took a lot out of me." Ruby nodded and simply observed the paintings of Ashton's servants that lined the walls while she waited.

After five minutes or so, Ashton sat up. "OK, I think I've found my second wind." He then faced Ruby, "So, how shall we do this?" But Ruby then got down on all fours, "Like this?" Ashton blushed, "You…want me to mate you the old-fashioned way?" Ruby smiled as she swayed her hips, "What's wrong with that? I just want to know what it's like to mate in a feral manner." But Ashton then looked down at the soles of Ruby's feet. He could see the bright pink pads of her feet. He gently pressed his thumb against one. "Ashton, that tickles!" He then asked, "Did anyone ever let you know that you have pretty paws?" Ruby giggled, "You would be the first." Ashton then smiled, "OK, enough sidetracking. Time to finish up." He then got down on his knees and positioned his member at Ruby's entrance. Wasting no time, Ashton plunged into the Lucario's welcoming depths once again.

Ruby gasped as she mated a second time with her fiancé. But she could also here Ashton panting as he was still somewhat exhausted from the previous go. She could also feel that Ashton's member was not stiff at all due to his earlier orgasm. But that quickly changed as the viscount continued to thrust. But after a minute, Ruby felt him begin to slow down. "Ashton, are you OK?" The viscount heaved, "So tired….." That was when Ruby had an idea. "Ashton, please lay down." Ashton asked, "What?" She replied, "Just do it. Trust me." Ashton nodded and pulled out before lying down on his back.

"So, what is it you wish to do?" Ashton asked as he rested from his efforts. But Ruby then stood up and walked over to Ashton. She then stood above him, her dripping womanhood positioned above Ashton's hard member. "Just leave the rest to me." She then brought herself down hard, making Ashton grunt from the amount of force she used. Ruby then began to raise and lower herself onto Ashton's manhood using only her legs. Ashton gasped, "You Lucario have quite a bit of stamina, huh?" Ruby giggled, "Yes. My legs still feel strong. Just wait a little while and my heat should be done."

Ruby could feel a second orgasm building as she continued to make love to her master. Ashton could also feel his hot semen building up inside. After several more minutes, Ruby let out a cry as her inner walls began to spasm around Ashton's member once again. The sensation of them massaging him was too much for Ashton as he struggled to hold on a little longer. Almost like a reflex, he reached out and grabbed Ruby's thighs and held her down as he orgasmed, making sure all of his seed would get inside her. Once he had been drained of his sperm, Ashton collapsed as he gasped for breath. Ruby, completely spent, fell forward onto Ashton, his manhood still buried within her flower.

Ruby sighed, "I think that one did it. I don't feel the burning anymore." Ashton tenderly caressed her face, "Glad to hear it. I don't think I could've managed a third time anyway." She then asked, "So what should we name it?" Ashton gave her a puzzled look. She added, "The baby. What should we name it?" Ashton merely smiled, "We can think about that later. Besides, we don't know if it will be male or female." Ruby smiled, "Good point. Guess we'll have to wait and see." Ashton then tried to kiss Ruby, but she stopped him, "No. This time, kiss for real. Like the love of my life." Ashton gave her a gentle smile and then closed his eyes. He then pressed his lips against hers before gently licking at her lips. Ruby replied in kind and their tongues touched. The two lovers then became lost in the moment as they passionately kissed while tightly embracing each other. They continued to do so for several minutes straight before fatigue ran its course and they fell asleep in each others' embrace.

The next evening, Ashton stood outside his bedroom door. He knew Laika was very loyal to him, but she still had a deep-seated hatred of humanity. Although he would never harm her, he was still worried that she may try something that would permanently scar him. Even so, the Kusanagi was in his room. Should Laika try to harm him, Ashton would be ready for her.

Ashton slowly nudged the door open. Like the previous night, the room was gently illuminated by candlelight. And resting upon Ashton's bed was the albino Mightyena herself. Ashton closed the door behind him, "So, Princess of the Snow, are you comfortable?" Laika simply blushed at his compliment, "It flatters me when you call me that." Ashton smiled, "I see that you are more in touch with your feelings now. And since it is late, do you remember your promise to me?" Laika nodded and gave him a smile. But Ashton was taken aback slightly as he saw her face. Her eyes showed true contentment and her smile was very strong. Ashton shed a tear, "Amazing. That is your most beautiful smile yet."

Laika continued to smile for a moment, but then looked away. "Laika?" The Mightyena spoke, "To be honest, I am not certain if I deserve you." Ashton gasped, "What?" Laika continued, "I have always been viewed as a treasure and nothing more. As something that was only worth keeping alive in order to own. And now you are offering me the chance to make love with you." She then sighed, "I have loved you since the day you offered me the opportunity to escape to the Black Woods. You saved me, healed me, fed me, sheltered me, and freed me. A worthless Mightyena that had never given you anything more than insults and angry words. I don't deserve you."

Ashton remained silent for a moment, but then spoke with a tone of disgust, "Impossible. Absolutely absurd." Laika sighed, "I know. It's absurd that I could ever view myself as someone deserving of such love." But Ashton growled, "That's not what I meant." The Mightyena looked over at him in confusion, "What do you mean?" Ashton frowned, "I never imagined that I would ever hear you, of all people, act so weak." Laika gasped in shock. "It was never your choice to be a mere item to be owned. But you did repay your debt to me, even though you never noticed. You stayed by my side. You were almost always with me. And every night, I felt your warm body pressed against me. You gave me your company and your protection. It is me who decides if you are deserving of my love. And I do believe you have earned it." Before Laika could react, Ashton was right next to her while holding her head near his own. "Laika, you claimed that you love me. If that is true, kiss me." There was a moment of silence as tears began to gather in Laika's eyes. But finally, she gathered the willpower she needed and sealed lips with the man she loved.

As they kissed most lovingly, muffled whimpers came from Laika's throat as she let her tears fall. The beautiful snow wolf, long shackled by her hatred of humanity, had finally abandoned her fear and doubt. To her, Ashton was no longer her master, but her life mate. The man to whom she owed everything. Her breathing becoming erratic, Laika abruptly broke the kiss and began to sob uncontrollably as her bottled-up emotions, which she believed had been destroyed years ago, began to resurface. Ashton tenderly embraced the wolf, "Just let it out. All your feelings of rage, sorrow, pain, despair. Let them flow until you'd cried yourself dry." Laika continued to cry as her tears cascaded down her face. And the entire time, Ashton did not let go. He held her, making sure she would not have to face this experience alone.

No fewer than twenty minutes later, Laika leaned against Ashton while gasping for breath, her snow-white fur now soaked with her tears. Ashton tenderly cupped her face, "Good. There is nothing wrong with showing weakness. Everyone has times of weakness. As have I." Ashton held her tightly to his chest, "You are very brave. To have to go through over a decade of ones life hiding untold misery behind a scowl would break most people. But you had the courage to let it all out at once." Ashton then tilted Laika's head upwards so that she was looking at him. "How do you feel?" Laika then gave Ashton a tender smile the likes of which he had never seen from her before. He could see true peace in her eyes. "I…feel…..happy…" Laika then leaned against Ashton, "Ashton, I think I'm ready. I wish to mate with you."

Ashton released Laika and took a step back as he began to remove his clothing. Once he was nude, Ashton climbed onto the bed and sat down next to Laika. She then began to gently nuzzle the limp member of her lover. The feel of her fur tickled Ashton's member as it started to stiffen. Before long, it was pointing straight up. At this point, Laika gave it a tender lick. She then turned around and raised her tail. Ashton blushed at the sight of Laika's womanhood. It was more feral than Ruby's. "You are very beautiful." Ashton spoke as he got on his knees. Although this felt slightly awkward for him, Ashton was not going to let a difference in anatomy stop him from fulfilling his beloved guardian's desire.

Ashton very carefully inserted his manhood into Laika, causing her to gasp and shudder with pleasure. But Ashton soon stopped when he felt some resistance. Considering Laika's life up until she met him, Ashton was not surprised to discover that she was still a virgin. But when he was about to ask her for the go-ahead, Laika forced herself backwards, impaling her hymen on Ashton's member. She shuddered in pain for a second, but gave him a pleading gaze. "This pain is nothing. Please continue." Ashton nodded and began to thrust into her, causing her to gasp from the sudden rush of pleasure. (This feeling….. It's just like that dream I had…)

Laika panted as she felt Ashton filling her tunnel with his manhood. He was a perfect fit to the point where she suspected that they were made for each other. Ashton felt no fatigue at all as he continued to mate with the she-wolf. He could only feel raw pleasure and a sense of fulfillment. As he felt his orgasm growing, Ashton sped up his rhythm. Laika could also feel her orgasm building as her walls became increasingly wet with arousal. Before long, Ashton finally hit his peak and thrust into Laika one last time while firmly gripping her hips. Laika gasped as she felt a torrent of warm fluid fill her womb, and let out a beautiful howl as her insides quivered in orgasm.

Ashton pulled out of Laika and breathed a sigh of pleasure as his member went limp. But the Mightyena fell on her side, completely worn out from the effort. Ashton smiled and pulled her over to the head of the bed and covered her with the blanket. Ashton whispered, "Are you pleased?" She replied, "Even though you and I will never become husband and wife, this feels…..right. Like this is all I really need." She then looked her lover in the eyes, "I'm done living as something my former owners made me into. From now on, I'm living as myself. As I really am." Ashton embraced her, "Live however you wish. It does not matter if you still remain quiet and stern. I will always love you." The two lovers then fell asleep, dreaming of the future.

Ashton quietly entered his room the next night to find Zandria and Cassandra patiently waiting for him on his bed. After locking the door to prevent interruptions, Ashton spoke, "Doing both of you may be more than I can handle. Go easy on me, OK?" Zandria gave him a sultry gaze, "Don't worry. We won't bite." Cassandra gave him a more compassionate loving stare, "Come closer, Ashton. We've waited long enough already." Ashton began to sweat profusely, (It's just as I suspected. These two are going to milk me dry.)

Ashton cautiously approached the two ladies, fearful that Zandria was going to pounce. But as he got closer, the Zangoose's face melted into a more calm and amorous expression. In a seductive voice, Zandria spoke, "You know, Cassandra and I discussed what we would name our children a while back." Ashton stopped, "You did?" Cassandra smiled, "Yes indeed. I'm certain I will give birth to a beautiful little girl. And I will name her Isis or perhaps Cleo." Ashton closed his eyes and smiled, "Cleo….. Such a beautiful name." Cassandra giggled, "I'm glad you like it too! What about you, Zandria? Care to tell him what your children will be named?" Zandria sighed, "I still remember. If it turns out to be a girl, I was thinking Anibal. But if it's a boy, I decided on Atlas." Ashton smirked, "Atlas? Such a bold name. I'm sure your boy will turn out to be quite a knight." Zandria replied, "Don't get ahead of yourself. We don't know yet."

Ashton asked, "I can't do both at once. Which of you should go first?" At this, the two girls looked at each other and gave each other a stern glare. Ashton groaned, "No, you will not fight to determine who goes first! Got it?" At this, Zandria spoke, "You know, that reminds me. Remember when Cassandra and I got into a fight some months ago?" Ashton grimaced, "You mean when you girls decapitated the bush sculptures?" Cassandra turned blue in the face, "Oooog….. I don't want to remember that." Zandria blushed nervously, "Uh, yeah. That's the one. And I claimed I could not tell you the reasons behind it, right?" Ashton gave her a nod. Zandria sighed, "But now that you have asked us to be your lovers, I can safely tell you. I started that fight. I knew Cassandra was madly in love with you and I became afraid. I was fearful that I would lose you to her, so I tried to remove her from the scene." Ashton frowned, "I'm not surprised it was you who started that brawl. And you did it because you were in love with me?" Ashton then surprised them by embracing them both with his arms, "However, I too am at fault. I should've seen the love you had for me. I never should've been so blind."

Zandria patted Ashton on the back, "It's all right, Ashton. Better late than never, right?" Cassandra gave him a gently kiss on the cheek, "We forgive you." Ashton then let go and stood up, "Now then, who should go first?" Zandria then had an idea and asked, "Cassandra, what did you do with him when we were in the Far East?" Ashton raised an eyebrow, (She knew?) Cassandra blushed, "I…..only wanted to taste his seed. I knew the risk of becoming pregnant with his child, so I made sure to not do it." Zandria then turned to Ashton, "I've got it. I say the virgin should go first." Cassandra blushed, "But we're both virgins, aren't we?" Zandria shook her head, "Since you were brought into Ashton's home after me, you couldn't have known. I was raped by a Machoke when my former master tried to breed me." Cassandra gasped, "Oh no…. I'm sorry I asked." But Zandria only smiled, "Don't worry about it. Although I'm not a virgin, this will be the first time I ever become pregnant."

Cassandra looked towards Ashton and brought her paws together before making her claws into what resembled a type of hand sign. "Should I?" Ashton gave her an odd look. Zandria then explained, "She's asking if you want her to take on a more human form. Remember?" Ashton looked baffled for a moment, but his face suddenly looked as if he had seen a ghost as he remembered her beautiful body from that night in the Far East. Suddenly, the two girls saw a lump appear in Ashton's pants as he grabbed his nose to prevent a nosebleed. Zandria laughed, "I say that looks like a yes! Go for it, Cassandra!" But Ashton threw up his hand and shouted, "Wait!" His voice sounded slightly odd due to him pinching his nose shut. "Not yet." He then walked over to Cassandra, "I would prefer to do it with you as you are." Cassandra blushed deeply, "Oh Ashton, you're so accepting."

Cassandra turned around and inched backwards while lying down as she was nearly four feet tall. Ashton then began to undress as Cassandra sighed in anticipation. Once he was undressed, Zandria drooled, "You're just as sexy as I remember, Ashton." The viscount chuckled, "Be patient. You'll have your turn soon." But as Ashton raised his member towards Cassandra, Zandria spoke, "Just a second! I just remembered that Absol have very sharp tails! You better be careful so you don't impale yourself." Ashton gulped as he realized that he had nearly pressed his chest against it. But Cassandra giggled, "Did you forget, Zandria? Go ahead and touch it, Ashton." Ashton then ran his hands along the edges of Cassandra's long silver tail. He found that they were quite dull. "I had Serenade file the edges until they were dull. I wanted to make sure that there would be no way for you to get hurt, Ashton." The viscount smiled, "That was very considerate of you, Cassandra. But are you ready?" The Absol sighed, "I've been tortured by dreams of this very moment for countless nights since meeting you. I want to make those dreams become a reality."

Ashton gently placed his hands on Cassandra's shapely hips, her soft white fur caressing his hands. "Oh Ashton….." Cassandra sighed, her womanhood becoming moist from her anticipation. Ashton slowly made his way along her sides as he walked around the corner of the bed, gently rubbing her abdomen. "Please… Don't stop… I've never felt you touch me this way…" Zandria was trying to keep calm as she watched her master lovingly fondle the Absol, but her hand still crept up to her breast and began to gently massage it. By the time Ashton reached the front of Cassandra, she could take it no more and leapt at Ashton, forcing him to catch her in his arms. She then pressed her lips against his and kissed him most passionately. Their tongues wildly danced together as Cassandra's burning passion for Ashton guided her.

Cassandra slowly pulled her face away from Ashton, a thin string of saliva connecting them. Her face showed extreme ecstasy and desire. "Ashton….. I love you….. I have always loved you…" She then rested her head against his chest and whimpered, "I love you… I love you….." Zandria then spoke, "She always was a hopeless romantic. She's all about love." Ashton then whispered, "I love you too." Cassandra then began to shed tears as she heard the three magic words that she had always desired to hear from Ashton. She then pleaded, "Ashton, please….. Make love to me…" He then cradled her head, "As you wish, my dear."

Ashton laid Cassandra down on her back and held himself above her. She blushed as he looked down upon her. His eyes trailed down her beautiful slender body until they fell upon her womanhood. He gently caressed her lips with a finger. The Absol gasped in pleasure, "Ashton, stop teasing me!" The viscount smiled and carefully positioned his erect member at her entrance. "Since you are a virgin, this will hurt a little. Are you ready?" Cassandra nodded, "I'll endure anything if it means I will bear your child."

Ashton slowly inserted his member into Cassandra before making a hard thrust, piercing her hymen. She gasped and gritted her teeth, but soon began to feel nothing but pleasure. Cassandra's body was slimmer than Ruby or Laika, so it was a slightly tighter fit for Ashton. It took a little more effort this time for Ashton to thrust into her. But the increased resistance only led to increased stimulation. Cassandra could feel it too. Her black face turned a reddish purple as a blush lit up her cheeks.

Zandria could only watch and hope that Ashton would finish soon as she became aroused and continued to fondle her breast. But she soon heard Ashton begin to grunt and huff as he thrust. Cassandra was also shrieking with joy as she felt the man she loved inside her. "Cassandra….. I can't hold out much longer!" Ashton groaned as he neared orgasm. But Cassandra pleaded, "Then don't! Let it all out! Give me your baby!" At that moment, Ashton let out a gasp as he had an explosive orgasm as Cassandra quivered in her own orgasm, Ashton's hot sperm flooding into her depths as her own juices mixed with it.

Ashton fell backwards as his knees buckled, causing him to kneel. "Whoa… You OK there, Ashton?" Zandria asked when she noticed his drugged expression. Almost as if in response, Ashton began to lean back as he was about to fall off the bed. "Oh man! Hang on!" Zandria dashed over to him and caught him in her arms before his head could hit the floor. He was barely conscious. "Wow….. That one took so much out of him that he almost fainted!" She then gently set him down and then hopped up onto the bed to examine Cassandra. She was also exhausted from her orgasm, which was just as explosive. "You OK?" Zandria asked. But Cassandra then asked, "Zandria, can you feel them? My babies…" Zandria smiled and ran her hand along Cassandra's belly, "Not yet. You're not showing any signs, but I'm sure you'll have babies in a few months. Just give it time." The Absol shed a tear, "Ashton…finally made love to me… My love… My mate… I…" But Zandria then held a hand over her mouth, "Don't say anymore. Just rest for a while. There's still something you want to try, right?"

Zandria hopped off the bed and went over to Ashton, who was just starting to come to his senses. He sat up and held his head, "Amazing… I've never felt something like that before. Felt like I was going to die." But Zandria smirked, "I hope you still got some left for me, because you promised to do us both in one night." Ashton turned towards the Zangoose, "Right, I haven't forgotten." The tomboyish cook swaggered over to Ashton and set her hands on his shoulders. "That look you're giving me… You think I'm going to eat you or something?" Ashton gulped, "You always were a wild one. I don't know what to expect." Zandria then smirked, "Then I guess you weren't expecting this." She then caught Ashton in a kiss, her hand holding his head from behind as she pressed into the kiss. Ashton then embraced her, touching her tongue with his own. Zandria's bushy tail shivered in pleasure as she tasted her master.

Once the two lovers broke the kiss, Zandria placed a finger on Ashton's chin, "You taste good." Ashton blushed, "So do you." Zandria then smirked as she reached down for Ashton's member, "I hope you still have some fight left in you, because I'm going to milk you dry." Ashton gulped, "Darn it. Just as I feared." But Zandria giggled, "Just kidding. One should be enough. After all, I need to make sure you still have enough stamina left for Cassandra." But Ashton then looked down between Zandria's short legs. "Wait….. Where do I start?" The Zangoose smiled, "Just leave it to me." Taking Ashton's member in hand, she guided the tip into her white fur. A moment later, Ashton gasped as he felt warm moist flesh envelop his manhood. "Let's get started."

Zandria did all the work as she lowered herself on Ashton's member. All Ashton had to do was avoid falling over. Ashton could feel his member harden after a moment of lovemaking. But he soon noticed some of Zandria's chest fur giggling with every drop she made onto his member. Being a little over four feet tall, Zandria was taller than Ashton while he was sitting down. She noticed where his eyes were looking. "See something you like?" She stopped moving for a moment as she reached into her fur. Zandria then brought out her furless pink nipple. "All yours." Ashton then closed his mouth over Zandria's breasts and began to suck while his hand caressed her other breast. Zandria gasped as she continued their mating. "Oh yeah. I'll bet it'll feel even better to have milk coming out after I give birth!"

Zandria could feel her orgasm building and instinctively sped up her movements. Ashton too felt his member starting to throb as his orgasm neared. But Zandria's orgasm came a little early as she let out a shriek of ecstasy as her fluids spilled onto Ashton's groin. But she still did not stop. But as she reeled from her orgasm, Ashton felt a warm liquid fill his mouth. (Milk?) But his train of thought was wrecked as his orgasm came upon him, causing him to tightly embrace the Zangoose as his fertile semen flooded into her womb.

Once their orgasms subsided, Zandria sighed, "Just like before. Huh?" She then noticed a warm white fluid oozing from her breasts. She took a taste. "Milk? Must've been due to something with my body." But Ashton smiled, some milk around his lips, "But it tastes good. I'm sure you're baby will agree too." Zandria then looked him in the eyes, "Ashton? You know I love you, right?" Ashton nodded, "I always have." Then, with tears of joy in her eyes, she spoke, "Kiss me, love." The two joined lips again in a passionate kiss as they embraced each other. Once they broke the kiss, Zandria leaned against Ashton and sighed, "Our child will be so beautiful."

Ashton then noticed a plume of smoke engulf his bed. "Hm? What's Cassandra up to?" A moment later, Ashton's face went blank at the sight of a beautiful and well-endowed anthro female Absol sitting atop his bed. "Are you ready for the next part, dear?" But Ashton's only reply was a sudden powerful nosebleed. Zandria gagged, "Aw man, that was uncalled for!" Although the blood did not reach the floor, Zandria's fur on her front had been soaked in it. "I really hope this stuff doesn't stain…" As Ashton fell upon the floor dizzy from blood loss, Zandria raised herself off of him and made her way to the door. "Have fun. I'm gonna wash this stuff off before bed." Zandria then headed for the bathroom while being careful to not allow any blood to drip onto the floor.

Cassandra slid off the bed and walked over to Ashton on her slender legs. "Ashton, are you still awake?" The viscount moaned, "So dizzy….." But Cassandra then gently licked his limp member, which was still soaked with his own sperm and Zandria's fluids. The flavor was slightly salty and very sweet. She then took the whole thing into her mouth and began to thoroughly clean it. Once she had ingested all of the remaining fluids, Cassandra took Ashton's manhood out of her mouth to find that it was somewhat firm now.

Cassandra crawled over to Ashton's face and whispered, "Are you ready?" Ashton panted for a moment before pulling himself up, "I still feel a little tipsy, but I'll manage." He then climbed to his feet, "So, how shall we…mmph?" Cassandra cut him off as she gave him a kiss, passionately caressing his tongue with hers while pressing her large breasts against his chest. Ashton embraced her as he closed his eyes, enjoying her affections. Once they broke the kiss, Cassandra embraced him firmly. "I can put my arms around you now." Ashton sighed, "You have very gentle hands."

Cassandra gave Ashton a loving gaze, "Follow me." She then walked over to a wall, her long silver tail swaying with her hips. She motioned for Ashton to approach her. "How strong are your arms?" Ashton replied, "If I can lift the Flamberge, I can lift you." Cassandra then threw her arms around Ashton's neck, "I'm going to lift my legs." Ashton gripped her by her hips as she lifted her legs and wrapped them around his lower back. "Press me against the wall and we can start." Ashton did as she said while being careful to not apply too much pressure. With one hand, Cassandra reached down and directed Ashton's member into her womanhood. "I'm all yours now."

Ashton began to thrust into the Absol with renewed vigor as she gasped from the force of his entry. Cassandra tightly embraced Ashton as they made love a second time. Now that her body was wider, Ashton felt less restricted than before. But he then tried licking her breasts, prompting a gasp of delight from Cassandra. As they continued, Ashton continued to lick Cassandra's large breasts, which caused her to grip the sides of his arms. As far as she was concerned, Cassandra was in Heaven.

Ashton could feel his third orgasm of the night building. Cassandra began to cry repeatedly with each thrust as she felt pressure building inside her. Together, they groaned in release as Ashton shot more of his seed into the Absol as her juices flowed from her passage. Completely spent, Ashton carried Cassandra to the bed and fell upon it with the last of his strength. Cassandra covered them both with the blanket before giving him a grateful kiss. She then placed his head onto her chest, gently cushioning him with her bountiful breasts. Without a word, the two lovers fell into a peaceful sleep.

The next evening, Ashton gave a sigh as he stood outside his bedroom. "This is going to be very awkward." He then entered and closed the door behind him. Standing at the center of the room was Aurora. Ashton blushed, "So it's your turn now, isn't it?" The Suicune smiled, "It is as you said, my lord." She then slowly and gracefully walked towards him. "Aurora, as beautiful as you are, you never gave off the presence of a young lady. Do you truly wish for this?" The Suicune gently nuzzled his face, "I have always loved you as if you were my husband. I may be as lively or cheerful as the others, but that is because I am much older than them. I am much more mature and wise from my many years of living." Ashton then asked, "Just how old are you?" The Suicune replied, "I cannot recall my exact age, but I am over 300 years old."

Ashton gulped, "300? But wouldn't that make you…" But Aurora giggled, "Never fear. I am immortal. My body does not age and my beauty will last forever. I am still more than capable of bearing your children." Ashton blushed, "So I see. You do have the grace and elegant feel of a noblewoman. But it does feel somewhat odd that a woman who acts and is much older than I am is deeply in love with me." But Aurora sighed, "You should know better. True love knows no boundaries." Ashton nodded, "You are right. And I would be honored to sire your offspring."

Aurora backed up from her master and smiled, "How shall we do this?" Ashton then circled her. But he then spoke, "How are we supposed to make this work?" Aurora asked, "I beg your pardon?" Ashton explained, "You are taller than I am. I can't possibly reach you." Aurora asked, "You mean….." Ashton nodded and then removed his pants. The Suicune blushed at the sight of his member, but then noticed Ashton set a hand on her hip. "Yours is right about here." Ashton then covered his manhood with his other hand. "Mine is down here. How can we connect them?" Aurora replied, "Perhaps if I'm upside-down?" She then approached the bed, "Yes, I do believe that will work."

Ashton spoke, "Aurora, hold on a moment." When the Suicune turned to face him, he asked, "How much do you weigh?" She then gave him an odd stare, "Are you asking me if I am fat?" Ashton began to sweat, "Uh…of course not. Look at you! How could you be fat?" He walked over to her and caressed her underside, "Look at how slim you are. You're beautiful. How could you think that you are fat?" Aurora blushed as she felt his hand touch her gently. "I see. Well….. On average, a Suicune weighs around 400 pounds. Why do you ask?" Ashton went a little blue in the face, "Ooo….. That won't work then." Aurora gave him a puzzled look which prompted Ashton to explain, "I doubt the bed would hold us both. It might hold you, but I would increase the weight to over 500 pounds. I don't want to do this if the bed would collapse in the process."

Aurora pondered how they would perform the act, but then had an idea. "How about this?" She then lied down and then rolled onto her side. "If we can't use the bed, why not the floor?" Ashton smiled, "I see. So be it." He then removed his shirt as well. He then kneeled near Aurora's rear, her womanhood visible. But Aurora spoke, "Ashton, I have a request." He then looked over at her, "Yes?" Aurora explained, "Ashton, you have given me a home. You have given me your love. And tonight, you will give me a child. But there is still one thing I have never received from you." She then gave him a pleading gaze, "You have never kissed me before." Ashton then gave her a most romantic expression and crawled over to her face. He gently cupped her face and pressed his lips against hers. Their tongues danced together as Aurora embraced Ashton with her forelegs, holding his bare body against her chest. As they kissed, Ashton's member became erect as it was cushioned by Aurora's fine white fur on her underside.

Aurora soon broke the kiss and whispered, "I've been alone long enough. Give me your seed so I will never be alone again." Ashton nodded and crawled back over to Aurora's rear. By now, she had become quite aroused and her lips were very wet. Slowly, Ashton slid his member into her, causing Aurora to let out a long moan. Once he was properly inserted, Ashton gave a firm thrust as he deflowered the Suicune. She let out a gasp of pain as her hymen was shattered. "You're a virgin?" Ashton asked as he continued to thrust. Aurora replied, "But of course. I have always been alone until I met you." Ashton smiled, "Then I am glad to be your first."

Ashton raised one of Aurora's hind legs as he thrust, prompting Aurora to scream in pleasure. "I never dreamed pleasure like this was even possible!" Aurora moaned as she gasped and and sighed with every thrust Ashton made. As he mated with the Suicune, Ashton could feel his first orgasm of the night coming on. He could also feel Aurora's passage becoming more restricting as it began to swell with arousal. Suddenly, her walls clamped down on his member as if to prevent him from pulling out as Aurora groaned in pleasure as she had her very first orgasm. Ashton was not far behind as he let out a gasp as his member erupted into her depths, sending his seed into her womb.

Ashton slowly pulled out of Aurora, his member spent from his effort. He then weakly crawled over to her face and lay beside her. "Satisfied?" Aurora shed a single tear, "Yes….. My beloved master…" But Ashton brought a hand to her face, "No. Don't call me that. We are equals, so refer to me as you would to your husband." Aurora blushed, "Very well…my darling." Ashton smiled, "Much better." He then pressed a hand against the Suicune's abdomen, "What should we name it?" Aurora thought this over for a moment before replying, "I think Aura would be a fitting name for her." Ashton asked, "But what if it's a boy?" But Aurora shook her head, "Impossible. All Suicune are female." Ashton smiled, "So that's why you're so beautiful. You Suicune are like the embodiment of feminine beauty." Aurora sighed, "You are too kind, dear." Ashton then pulled her beautiful blue mane over his body, "Since we can't sleep in the bed, I'll stay with you down here. All right?" Aurora smiled, "I would have it no other way. Good night, my love." The two lovers shared one last kiss before drifting off to sleep.

The next evening, Ashton walked into his bedroom to find it empty. He looked around a bit, but still could find no one there. He then brought a hand to his chin, "Wait a minute….. Who's turn was it today?" Just then, something grabbed Ashton from behind before dropping him face up on the bed. "Me, Ashy baby!" Ashton gulped, "Oh, right. Laura. How could I forget you?"

Ashton gazed up at the yellow Latias that floated above him. "Oh yes, it's finally my turn!" Suddenly, she began flying in circles around the room at high speed. "Ashy and I are going to have babies!" Ashton began to sweat in nervousness at Laura's erratic behavior. He shouted, "Laura, get down here! Do you want me or not?" At that instant, the Latias flew down to him and stopped right in front of his face while giving him a very passionate look, "Oh, you bet I do. I've been living for this day since the moment you took me into your home." Ashton gulped, (This woman is going to rape me!)

Ashton tried to remain calm as he spoke, "So, you really are that excited about having my children?" Laura giggled, "Yep! I've been waiting a long time for us to start a family!" But then Ashton asked, "But why are you so desperate? And why are you so crazy about me?" But when he asked this, Laura's face showed extreme depression. "Do you…really want to know?" Ashton paused for a moment, but then brought a hand to her face, "Yes. I'll lend an ear." Laura sighed, "OK, but hold me while I say this." Laura floated upside-down as Ashton held her in his arms like a bride at her wedding.

Laura sighed, "To be honest, I'm not that old, even though I'm immortal. I'm really just 16 years old. About ten years ago, my brother and I travelled the world together. We were always with each other and always watched each other's back. He was such a dedicated brother and put me before everything else. But then…he became ill. He claimed it was a passing sickness, but the symptoms worsened. But one night, we were flying together. I saw him suddenly go into a fall. I caught him, but he wasn't breathing." Ashton was silent as he cradled Laura's head. The normally cheerful Latias was now shedding tears, "Ever since then, I've been alone. I was always so scared. I hated being alone more than anything. But one day, I was practically starving when I came across Verdant. I saw some yummy pastries in the market, and I decided to get some. But the townspeople didn't like that, so they chased me. I was too weak to fight or run, and I was cornered. But you saved me when everyone else wanted me dead." Laura then looked at Ashton with a grateful gaze, "The reason I love you so dearly… The reason why I want to start a family with you… It's because you are the first man besides my brother who treated me as an equal. I know I act crazy sometimes, but it's because I'm crazy about you. I owe you my life for rescuing me from my loneliness." She then threw her arms around him, "That's why I become so happy around you. It's because you were there for me when I needed someone the most."

Ashton gently patted Laura on the back, "I never knew your past was so tragic." He then raised her head until they were eye-to-eye. Without delay, Ashton gave Laura her very first kiss. The Latias nearly fainted when she felt the man she loved kissing her. She began to passionately kiss him back, her tongue roughly pushing against Ashton's. But when they broke the kiss, Laura whispered, "Ready?" She then used her mind to strip Ashton's clothes from his body while levitating him. Ashton gulped, "You're pretty straightforward." Laura then lied on her back. "I'm all yours, Ashton." The very look Laura was giving him was enough to make Ashton's member become slightly erect. He then picked her up and held her vertically, "Are you sure you're ready for this?" But Laura smirked, "Just shut up and give me your babies!" Slightly intimidated, Ashton brought Laura down hard. But she grunted, "Ow! What was that?" Ashton blushed, "Uh… Did I miss?"

Laura backed away to find that Ashton had poked her in the stomach. "I guess you don't know where to start." She then rested on her back again, "This is where you start." She reached down with her claws and pulled open a small slit that Ashton had never noticed before. "I see it now." Getting down on his knees, Ashton positioned his member at Laura's entrance. The Latias gasped when she felt him touch her open lips. "Please….. Do it!" Ashton then thrust hard into Laura, piercing her hymen. Laura did not feel the pain at all as her mind was overflowing with joy as she made love with her crush for the first time.

Ashton kept his rhythm up as he thrust into Laura, making her scream with delight. "Yes! That's it! Keep going, Ashton! Give me babies!" Ashton groaned, "I can't believe how desperate you are to get pregnant! I wouldn't be surprised if you would go mate with any male that crossed your path!" But Laura cried, "Yeah right! You're the only man for me, Ashy!" Ashton grumbled, "I thought I told you… Oh, forget it!" But while they chatted, Ashton's orgasm snuck up on him without realizing it. Before he even knew what was happening, he felt his manhood pulsing as it emptied itself into Laura womb, causing her to scream in joy as she felt her first orgasm.

Ashton pulled out of Laura and fell back on his rear. "Phew…. Guess that's all for tonight." But Laura floated up to his face, "Nuh-uh. We're not done yet." Ashton wheezed, "What are you saying? That one was pretty powerful, if you ask me." But Laura replied, "True, but it wasn't enough. I need about two more, I think." Ashton groaned, "Two? Why?" Laura then gave him a sneaky stare, "Because that's how it is."

Ashton gave Laura a suspicious glance, "Just what are you saying?" Laura giggled, "I'm not surprised you don't know, but Latias are very difficult to breed. Normally, only a Latios can get us pregnant. I guess our eggs are difficult for other kinds of sperm to fertilize." Ashton asked, "And how are Latios different?" Laura smiled, "Latios has some of the most powerful sperm of all Pokémon. One orgasm is enough to get any kind of female pregnant." She then lowered her head to Ashton's limp member, "That's why I need more if I'm going to become a mother."

Laura gently took Ashton's manhood into her mouth, deep-throating it as she savored the taste of their combined juices. Ashton gasped, "Whoa… You're good at this…" Laura continued to stimulate Ashton's member until she felt it harden to a point. She then removed it from her mouth and floated above Ashton, making sure that her womanhood was parallel to Ashton's manhood. "Here I go!" Laura brought herself down hard, causing Ashton to gasp as the impact knocked the wind out of him.

Using only levitation, Latias raised and lowered herself onto Ashton while never taking her eyes off him. They soon joined hands, supporting each other. Laura was in Heaven as she felt Ashton's member begin to throb as his second orgasm built up. Knowing that Ashton's face was only several inches from her own, she held her breath as her own orgasm rocked her body as she did not want to scream in his face. Ashton soon followed, pumping his seed into Laura's womb again.

"Even better than the last one. But I still need one more to be sure. Like they say, the third time's the charm." Laura panted as she raised herself off of Ashton while looking down at herself. She blushed as she saw some excess sperm drip from her lips, making her beam with delight at the thought of becoming a mother. But she then found that Ashton was absolutely exhausted from his efforts. "Forgive me, Laura….. I'm done. I can't keep going." But Laura then had an idea. She once again took Ashton's member into her mouth, restoring its erection. "Don't… I can't take another…" But Laura smiled, "Don't worry. Leave this one to me."

Laura's eyes began to glow a light blue as she gazed at Ashton's member. Ashton heaved in exhaustion, but he soon gasped as he felt something caress his member. "What the…" He raised his head and looked down at his body. Laura was only staring at his member while her eyes glowed. "What are you…?" It then hit Ashton. What he was feeling was something moving up and down along his member, like a hand gripping it. Laura was using her psychic powers to help Ashton masturbate. Curious of what would happen, Ashton said nothing as he watched. He could soon feel a third orgasm building in his groin. The sensation sped up as it neared. Ashton then let out a gasp as several spurts of his sperm were shot from his member into the air. But he then noticed that it did not come back down. When he looked up, he saw a small sphere of his sperm floating in the air. He then looked at Laura, who gave him a sultry gaze. She then turned over with her underside facing up. With one hand, she held her vagina open as the sphere of sperm lowered towards it. She sighed in pleasure as the sperm was forced into her womanhood and towards her womb.

Laura dragged Ashton to the end of the bed and covered him with the blanket before snuggling next to him. "So, what should we name them?" Laura asked, her face blushing deeply. "Them? As in plural?" Laura nodded, "Yep. When a Latias gives birth, it is always to twins. One Latios and one Latias." But Ashton smiled, "You know, there's something about Latios and Latias that makes them sound like good names on their own. What do you say?" Laura giggled, "OK! Latios and Latias it is!" But she then gave Ashton a sweet kiss on the cheek, "Good night, Ashy. And thank you for everything…" Laura then rested her head against him and fell asleep as a tear fell from her face.

The following evening, Ashton stood outside the door to his bedroom. "Tonight is Chiara's turn." Ashton quietly entered the room and found Chiara lying on her back as her head hung off the side of the bed. "Hello, my love…" Ashton gulped at her position, "That pose…looks familiar…" The midget Lugia giggled, "So you remember. That's right. When I welcomed you into my room that day, I was displaying myself for you in the hopes that you would mate with me." Ashton blushed, "I apologize for taking so long to realize your feelings for me." Chiara smiled, "Better late than never."

Chiara climbed off the bed and slowly approached Ashton. But the viscount asked, "Wait….. The bed didn't seem to be under a lot of pressure. Just how much do you weigh?" Chiara replied, "Why do you ask?" Ashton then explained, "You're almost the same size as Aurora, and she weighs around 400 pounds. And the bed probably would not have supported both of us." Chiara then brought one of her large hands to her chin, "Well…I'm only 1/3 the size of an ordinary Lugia, so my weight is 1/3 as well. That means I weigh somewhere around 155 pounds." Ashton gave her a shocked glance, "Something as big as you…..is THAT light?" Chiara nodded, "In order to fly, my kind need to be light for their size. That explains why I am lighter than I look."

Chiara walked over to Ashton and folded her wings over him, "I always enjoyed serving you, Ashton." Ashton leaned against her blue belly, "You always were an elegant woman, Chiara. And I would love to feel your elegance tonight." He then looked up at her. Chiara smiled and closed her eyes as she lowered her head to him. They then sealed lips and pressed into a loving kiss. Chiara's large tongue dwarfed Ashton's, but was very gentle to him. When they broke the kiss, Chiara backed away from Ashton and turned around while standing as straight as she could with her wings spread wide as she looked over her shoulder. "This is the Lugia's courtship stance." Ashton blushed, "You really do have a beautiful body, even if you don't look as feminine as the others."

Chiara watched as Ashton undressed, her eyes carefully scanning his body. "You have a beautiful body as well, Ashton." The viscount blushed, "I do?" The Lugia nodded, "Yes. I can see why you're so popular with the maidens of Green Mile." He smiled, "I can't wait to see the look on their faces when they here that I've already found the loves of my life. Of course, it will have to wait until after the queen makes her decree." But Chiara nodded, "But we're not going to let that law stop us, right?" Ashton nodded, "True. Now let us begin."

Chiara laid herself on the bed while on her back. "I'm waiting." Ashton climbed up and carefully examined Chiara's lower region. "Where is it… Oh! Here it is." He found a barely noticeable slit in her silver feathers just above the base of her tail. He tried pushing two fingers into it to be sure. As he felt something warm and moist, Chiara moaned, "Oh, Ashton…! You've had a lot of practice with the others, haven't you?" Ashton nodded, "Guess I found it." He then tried something new. He began to lick at Chiara's womanhood, causing her to scream. "Ashton, what are you…OOOOOHHH!" Chiara could not speak as Ashton kept licking her. The taste was odd, but not unpleasant. Before long, Chiara let out a shrill cry as she felt her first orgasm. For his pleasuring, Ashton was rewarded with a gush of sweet nectar. The sweet taste caught him by surprise, and even gave him an unexpected erection.

Ashton positioned himself at the soaked lips of Chiara as she recovered from her orgasm. "Ready?" The Lugia panted, "Please…" Ashton then plunged into her warm depths, impaling her hymen. But Chiara did not care, so long as she became pregnant with Ashton's child. Ashton began to thrust into the beautiful maiden of the sea as she gasped with each thrust. She could already feel her belly swelling with life in her mind.

Chiara tried her best to avoid flailing about in pleasure to avoid knocking Ashton off the bed. To this effect, she gripped the ends of the bed with her large hands. Ashton could feel Chiara's insides beginning to throb, as if they were trying to pull him into her. In a way, they succeeded. Ashton was feeling increased resistance with each thrust as her passage swelled, restricting movement. The swelling only increased Ashton's pleasure as he felt his orgasm building rapidly. Chiara then felt her second orgasm as her inner walls became so inflamed that they prevented Ashton from pulling out at all. The viscount was also on the verge and tried his best to hold out. Chiara then looked ahead at Ashton, who gave her a compassionate gaze. Then, as she watched, he pushed as far into her as he could as his member throbbed, sending a powerful torrent of sperm into Chiara's womb. The Lugia blushed with pride as she watched her master fill her with his seed, most likely fertilizing the egg in her uterus.

Ashton did not even bother to pull out and fell forward onto Chiara's blue belly. "Do you think I did enough?" The Lugia sighed as her hand rubbed his back, "I'm sure you succeeded. We Lugia are not very difficult to breed." But she then spoke, "Ashton, even though you have chosen Ruby to be your bride, I want you to know something." Ashton looked ahead at the lovely scholar. "When Pokémon mate, it is never a temporary union. We always mate for life. So although Ruby will become your wife, each of us will also love you and stay with you to the end." Ashton smiled, "I wouldn't have it any other way. I would never allow anyone to take you away from me." He then set a hand on her belly, "I will watch over you, and our child, to the very end." They then fell asleep as Chiara draped Ashton with her wings.

The next evening, Ashton very slowly made his way to his bedroom. "No matter how I think of it, this still feels wrong….." Ashton then nearly walked right into the door of his room. He was hesitant to reach for the knob and only did so after a great deal of mental persuasion. He did not even look ahead as he entered and shut the door behind him. "Something troubling you, Ashton?" The viscount gulped as he slowly looked ahead at the young woman seated on his bed. "Sister…"

Serenade smiled as she got off the bed, "I know I'm last, but I hope you'll be just as caring to me as you were to the others." But Ashton sighed, "Actually, I'm having second thoughts." Serenade asked, "Why? I told you that I love you. What is making you so uncomfortable?" Ashton groaned, "Everything. You are my sister! Even if we are not the same species, it's not easy for me to go through with this!" But Serenade replied, "But you know it as well as I do! We are not related at all! You were adopted. We share no blood ties. There is no risk." But Ashton grumbled, "I know. But still….. It just doesn't feel right." But Serenade then had an idea. "Maybe you just need a little convincing." Ashton asked, "I need some what?" The Gardevoir gave him a sly smirk as her dress and arms began to glitter with a bright glow. A moment later, the light receded. "Sister, what did you…you…?" Ashton's face became one of absolute blankness as he gazed at the now nude body of his sister. "Do you like what you see?"

Ashton was frozen in place by the sheer beauty of Serenade's body. Seeing that he appeared to be comatose, Serenade proceeded to remove his clothing while levitating him at close range. She was taken aback slightly by his own bare body as she had never seen him nude before. (I see why Mother was so infatuated with him.) She then looked down at his member, which was starting to stiffen. She could imagine it being pushed into her. But first, she needed to awaken Ashton from his trance.

"Ashton, I asked you a question. Do you like what you see?" Serenade asked, now slightly annoyed. When he did not answer, she spoke loudly, "Ashton Redford Crimson, answer me!" At the sound of his full name being shouted, Ashton jumped, "Huh? What? Who? Where? What?" He then realized that he was now nude. "Hey, what happened to my clothes?" Serenade replied, "I removed them. They would only get in the way." He then gazed at her nude body again. He breasts were very large. Very nearly as large as those of Black Mist. Her body was very slim and her legs looked as if they could not hold her up. Her arms looked no different now aside from being white. Completely blown away by her beauty, Ashton shuddered, "You're…..beautiful…"

Serenade blushed at her brother's compliment, "You always were sweet, Ashton." She then threw her arms around him, her breasts pressing against his chest. As he felt the two white spheres being pushed against him, Ashton's member began to throb painfully. Serenade then spoke, "I am so sorry. I never should've waited so long to realize how I really felt about you." Ashton asked, "So…you really are in love with me?" Serenade nodded, "Yes. If I could, I would claim you as my husband and never leave your side." She then added, "Besides, it wasn't entirely my idea to marry you."

Ashton gave Serenade a strange look, "Someone put you up to this?" But the Gardevoir shook her head, "No. It was only a request. It was my decision to want to love you like this." Ashton then asked, "Then what do you mean?" Serenade explained, "Mother. She requested that I marry you someday. She wanted you and me to give her grandchildren together. To be honest, she had become infatuated with you some time ago. She claimed that if she was still single, she would've married you instead of Father. But she loves Father too much to leave him." Ashton gulped as he thought back to when Starlet breastfed him when he visited them. (So that's why. It wasn't only out of maternal affection. It was out of passionate attraction to me.) But Serenade added, "But I don't want to marry you due to a request. I truly do love you. And I wish to start a family with you." She then brought her face within inches from Ashton's. "Brother… Take me…"

The two siblings joined lips as they embraced each other in a loving kiss. As their tongues danced with each other, the kiss became increasingly messy and noisy. During the kiss, Ashton's member began to throb harder while leaking pre ejaculatory fluid while Serenade's womanhood began to leak fluids as her arousal grew. When they broke the kiss, Ashton tenderly grasped Serenade's breast, causing her to sigh in pleasure. "Such gentle hands….. One would never know by seeing you swing that sword around." Ashton gently squeezed Serenade's bountiful breasts, amazed by how soft they were.

Serenade's breathing became slightly erratic as she felt Ashton massage her breasts. Finally, she pleaded, "Ashton, please! I need you!" She then threw her arms around her brother and raised her legs before locking them around his lower back. Ashton then found that for her height, Serenade was fairly light and he had no trouble standing up with her hanging onto him. Serenade then looked down and saw Ashton's member sticking straight up, but on the outside of her legs. With a smile, she reached down and directed it to her virgin lips. Once slightly inserted, Ashton gave a sharp thrust. As she felt her hymen break, Serenade used Recover to heal the wound quickly. She then gave Ashton a loving gaze, "Now, take me."

Ashton tenderly held on to Serenade as he thrust into her. The Gardevoir could not stop tears of pure joy from falling from her large red eyes as she finally had the love of her life making love with her. "Ashton… I love you… Take me…. I'm all yours…" Ashton whispered, "I'm sorry…I took so long to notice… Forgive me…" Ashton continued to thrust into his sister, their bodies now beginning to sweat from their efforts.

Ashton was feeling pleasure the likes of which he had never felt before as Serenade's slim body constricted his member, making the friction from each thrust greater. Serenade was breathing hard as her white face began to turn pink with a bright blush. She could feel her orgasm building as her inner walls began to throb in rhythm with Ashton's thrusts. Ashton too could feel his orgasm building, but the pressure building in his testicles was greater than ever before. Finally, just before they reached their peak, Ashton and Serenade joined lips and embraced each other as their orgasms came hard. Serenade's womanhood throbbed as juices rushed down Ashton's member and his legs while Ashton's manhood fired powerful jets of sperm into Serenade's womb. The two siblings were now shedding tears of pure bliss as their love for each other blossomed. When they broke the kiss, Ashton spoke first, "I love you, Serenade." The Gardevoir whispered, "I love you, Ashton."

Ashton carried his sister to his bed and laid her down after pulling the covers back. After making sure she was comfortable, he climbed in to join her and covered them both. Serenade smiled, "I can't wait to see the looks on Mother and Father's faces when they hear they're going to become grandparents in nine months." Ashton sighed, "Ironic isn't it? You were the last one to become pregnant, and you will likely be the last one to give birth." Serenade then clung to her brother, "It does not matter, just as long as our child is healthy." Ashton smiled, "Very true." He then held her hand and whispered, "Good night, Serenade." The Gardevoir gave him a kiss on the cheek before drifting off to sleep with him. That night, all of Ashton's eight servants dreamed of the children that were now growing within their wombs.


	23. A Fugitive Unveiled

Garyson approached the Crimson estate with his rapier at his side. When he came within view of the manor, he saw Ashton seemingly kneeling to the right of the steps that led to his front door. When he started to push the iron gates open, the creaking metallic sound startled Ashton as he turned around swiftly. "Garyson?" His friend smiled, "Surprised to see me?" The viscount replied, "Actually, yes. Last I checked, our previous duel was three weeks ago. You're about ten days early." Garyson nodded, "True, true. But seeing as how you were gone for about three months, I decided to make up for lost time by showing up a bit early to compensate for our missed duels. Is that fine with you?" Ashton nodded, "Sure. Just give me a moment to retrieve my blade." He then made his way inside while Garyson leaned against one of the stone walls that encompassed the manor grounds.

About two minutes later, Garyson saw Ashton come back outside. "Well then, shall we…wait a minute." Garyson noticed that Ashton was not carrying the Flamberge, but a smaller sword in a black scabbard. "What's that? Looks like a hand-and-a-half sword." But Ashton replied, "Not quite. It's more of a broadsword. The hilt is long enough for two hands to grip it as opposed to just one hand and a few extra fingers for additional support." Garyson nodded, "OK, but why the change in weapons?" Ashton shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know. Just felt like trying something different this time. This weapon is a gift from the emperor of the Far East himself." Garyson then unsheathed his sword, "I see. But that doesn't mean I'll be going easy on you." Ashton drew the sword from its scabbard and set the empty sheath down, "I wouldn't have it any other way. En garde!" Garyson took a stance with his spare hand on his hip while Ashton gripped his sword with both hands.

Garyson struck first by making a few quick thrusts while Ashton dodged to the sides and made a wide slash with his blade. He then made a quick lunge forward and swung downwards, creating quite a gash in the ground while forcing Garyson to leap backwards. "Touché." Garyson said as he regained his footing. But he then made a few quick movements that resembled dance moves when Ashton made a few more swings, but lost balance when he tripped on a pebble. Ashton then proceeded to perform an overhead swing, but Garyson threw up his blade to block the blow. After defending against the strike, Garyson made a thrust for Ashton's leg, realizing that he was within range. But a moment passed before the two knights noticed that the strike had not connected.

"Hm? Wasn't that supposed to hit?" Ashton asked as he saw Garyson's arm outstretched. Puzzled, Garyson raised his hand to his face and inspected the hilt of his rapier. "What the…" Except for about one inch, the entire blade was missing! "What happened? Where's the rest of it?" Garyson looked around frantically, but then saw the rest of the blade at his feet. When he picked it up, he found that the blade had been very cleanly sliced off. Remembering the overhead swing Ashton made, Garyson asked, "Ashton, just what is that sword made of? Only your zweihander could break this rapier, and even then it would only cause the blade to shatter, not split in two! What kind of sword is capable of cutting through another sword?" Ashton blushed in embarrassment, "I guess the legendary kind."

Garyson gave Ashton a weird glance, "Legendary kind? Are you saying that sword is a sword of legend?" Ashton nodded, "Yeah. This is the Kusanagi, otherwise known as the Grass Long Sword. It is a weapon that is known far and wide in the Far East." Garyson's face went blank as he stared at the sword. "Now I'm jealous." But Ashton smiled, "Don't feel so down on yourself. I don't think I'll ever get the hang of using this. I just got lucky this time." After sheathing the Kusanagi, Ashton asked, "How about I invite you to lunch as payment for breaking your sword?" Garyson smirked, "Fine, but I'll be expecting payment in cash if it ever happens again." He then followed his friend into the manor.

A few minutes passed as Garyson waited in Ashton's bedroom while sitting at a table. Ashton had gone to the kitchen to ask Zandria to prepare Garyson a meal. During his wait, Garyson looked around the room and saw that Ashton had completed his collection of paintings of his eight servants since his last visit. A moment later, Ashton entered and took a seat next to Garyson at the table. "Zandria's cooking up a dish she learned in the Far East. Hope you don't mind." Garyson shook his head, "Not a problem. I know that everything she cooks up is delicious." Just then, Laura came into Ashton's room. "Hope I'm not intruding. Just need to tend to the art." She then floated up to Ashton's paintings and went to work with a feather duster and a dry rag. But as she dusted, Garyson noticed a slight bulge in her abdomen. Ashton saw Garyson giving Laura an odd stare and asked, "Something wrong, Garyson?" Garyson quickly shook his head, "Oh, it's nothing. I guess I was just seeing things." But when Laura finished her work, she flew down to Ashton, "Just one more thing." She then gave Ashton a fierce kiss as she embraced him. Garyson's face went blank with shock at her brazen display of affection. But to his further surprise, Ashton closed his eyes and embraced Laura before pressing into the kiss. A tad disgusted by the sickening amount of affection, Garyson turned away. A moment later, he heard the two lovers break the kiss before seeing Laura fly over to the door. She then turned around and gave Ashton a wink, "If you need anything, just let me know." After she left, Garyson looked over at Ashton and saw that the young viscount had a deep blush on his face. "Ashton, I know Laura is devoted to you, but… Wow." Ashton gave him a toothy grin, "Yeah. Lucky me, huh?"

A moment later, Garyson looked down and noticed Laika at Ashton's feet. She seemed to be napping and was curled up in a cute position. "She's always so quiet; it's easy to forget she's there." Garyson said. Ashton nodded, "That's what makes her so suited for the role of a guardian." But Garyson then noticed a bulge in Laika's belly. He then turned to Ashton, "Um… Are you're servants suffering from some sort of abdominal infection?" The viscount gave Garyson a strange stare, "Not to my knowledge, no. Why do you ask?" Garyson gave Ashton a disturbed gaze for a moment, but then looked away, "Nothing. Just wondering."

Several minutes later, there was a knock at the door. "Ashton, Garyson. Lunch is served!" Zandria then entered the room with a cart of food. Garyson took a deep breath, "Just smell that aroma! I can't wait to dig in!" Zandria smirked, "If it smells good to you, just wait until you taste it." She then removed the large metal dome from the platter and placed two large bowls of soup onto the table. Garyson recognized some of the ingredients, such as the shrimp and scallops, but he did not recognize most of them. He then raised some noodles from the broth with a fork, "What kind of pasta is this?" Zandria explained, "Those are soba noodles. They're made from buckwheat flour." Garyson nodded and took a taste. A moment later, he sighed, "Such an exotic flavor. I should visit the Far East myself sometime." He then started to slurp away at the soup while Ashton started on his.

As Garyson enjoyed his soup, Cassandra came into the room. "Sir Garyson is visiting?" Zandria nodded, "Yep. I guess they had another duel today." The Absol asked, "Who won?" Ashton stopped eating for a moment, "I did. The Kusanagi cut right through his rapier." Cassandra winced, "Ooh. I'm sure no one saw that coming. Ah!" Cassandra gasped for an instant. Zandria asked, "What's wrong?" Cassandra jumped up to Ashton and smiled, "It kicked!" Ashton asked, "Really? Let me feel." He then brought his hand to her underside. A moment later, he felt a tremor. "It's kicking." Cassandra blushed, "Oh, Ashton, it's wonderful!" She then gave him a quick kiss. Garyson saw this and laughed, "You sure are popular with the ladies, Ashton!"

A moment later, Ruby walked in while wearing her maid uniform. "I heard Sir Garyson is visiting. May I serve you some tea?" Garyson nodded, "I would appreciate it, Ruby." The Lucario then walked over to the table with a teapot and poured them a cup of tea. But while she was pouring the tea, Garyson noticed that Ruby also had a slightly bloated belly. In fact, hers was a bit more swollen than the others. He also noticed that Cassandra's belly was hanging a tad low as well. He even saw a slight bulge in Zandria's furry belly. Once Ruby had finished pouring the tea, Garyson took his cup in hand and asked, "Ashton, I'm starting to get a bit concerned." Ashton gave Garyson a curious glance, "Concerned? About what?"

Garyson proceeded to explain, "Each of your servants have bloated bellies. That can't be just some coincidence. Are they ill?" Ashton calmly replied, "Nope. Just pregnant." Garyson suddenly choked on his tea at Ashton's confession, "Pregnant? Really?" Ruby, Cassandra, and Zandria nodded in unison. Garyson added, "What about Serenade, Chiara, and Aurora?" Ashton nodded, "Yes, them too." Garyson chuckled, "I never would've imagined that you would hire a breeder, Ashton." But the viscount replied, "Actually, they all share the same mate." Garyson gave him a surprised glance, "Really? I know this is none of my business, but who is their mate?" As Garyson took another sip of his tea, Ashton gave Garyson a relaxed smile, "You're looking at him."

At Ashton's response, Garyson spewed his tea, spraying the viscount. Ashton closed his eyes and did not move as he was soaked with the liquid. A moment later, he opened one eye and asked, "Was that really necessary?" After a moment of gasping from choking on his tea, Garyson raised his voice, "Are you out of your mind? The townspeople will not overlook this!" But Ashton nodded, "True, but only if they discover it." But Garyson replied, "But you more than anyone should know that it is forbidden to marry a Pokémon!" Ashton nodded again, "Yes, but only at the moment. Once solid proof has been found that Pokémon have souls like humans do, the queen will have no choice but to decree their equality." Garyson calmed down slightly, "Yes, you may be right about that. But how in the world are you going to marry them all? Last I checked, you can only marry one person." Ashton smiled, "True. And I have chosen my bride." Ruby then came closer to Ashton and threw her arms around him. "Ruby here is my fiancé."

Garyson brought a hand to his chin, "Ruby? I guess I can understand that. She is quite cute." But he then asked, "But what about the rest? If Ruby is your bride-to-be, why are the other seven pregnant with your children?" Ashton blushed, "Uh, I think they can explain that better than I can. Cassandra?" The Absol nodded and faced Garyson, "To be honest, all eight of us desired Ashton, but he could only choose one. And when he chose Ruby, the rest of us were heartbroken to learn that we would never have Ashton as a husband. But…" She then blushed deeply as she smiled, "Ashton….. What an angel… He offered us the privilege of bearing his children as a consolation prize of sorts. And we all agreed. So now…" She then looked back at her swollen belly, "We are anxiously awaiting our little ones."

Garyson's face had turned red with a blush as he listened to Cassandra's confession. He quietly set his teacup down, "Ashton, words cannot describe how jealous I am of you right now. Eight lovely ladies and pregnant at that. I wish I was as open as you." Ashton chuckled, "What can I say? I couldn't just leave them depressed like that. I hold each of them very dearly to me." Zandria and Cassandra let out an aw as they gave Ashton a group hug. Garyson asked, "But what is it like being a lover to eight separate women?" Ashton gave his friend a very content smile as he embraced Ruby, Cassandra, and Zandria at once. "All I can say is this. Welcome to paradise." Ashton then gently nuzzled their faces, "I have never been happier. To know I am so dearly loved and have at least eight beautiful children on the way brings absolute bliss to my heart."

Garyson smiled, "You most certainly do look at ease with so many lovers." But Garyson's tone became very serious a moment later, "But you do know the consequences of what will happen if the people of Rohta discover this, right?" Ashton nodded, "I do. And I have taken precautions to prevent such a thing from happening." Garyson sighed, "I admit that I do not view Pokémon as exact equals, but I respect them as individuals. If I had never met you, I probably would've ended up viewing them the same way everyone else does." Garyson gave Ashton a tender gaze, "I will do what I can to keep this a secret." Ashton nodded, "You have my thanks, Garyson." But the knight added, "However, if the townspeople get word of this somehow, there will be nothing I can do to protect you. Understand?" Ashton was silent for a moment before replying, "I am aware of that. And I will do everything in my power to protect my family." Garyson smiled, "Glad to hear it." He then raised his teacup, "Let's have a toast. To the future of the Crimson family." Ashton raised his teacup as well, "To the future. Cheers!"

That night, Ashton slept in his bed with Laika and Ruby at his sides. Now a couple, Ruby had moved into Ashton's bedroom as his bride-to-be. But at around midnight, Laika suddenly awakened when her ears picked up a faint noise. She raised her head, her ears twitching to pick up the direction the sound was coming from. Fearful for the child in her womb, she quickly dismissed it as a possible threat and growled slightly. But she suddenly felt a hand on her neck. "Don't. If you die, our child dies with you."

Laika turned to face Ashton, who was looking at her with one eye. "Is it hostile?" Laika stood still and listened more closely. "There…..are many. Dozens. They are shouting…" Ashton then sat up in bed, "I'll handle them. You stay here." But Laika whispered, "I am your guardian. It is my duty to protect you from all threats." But Ashton shook his head, "Not until our child has been born. Even if you survive, one stray attack to your womb may mean the death of our child. It's too risky. Leave this one to me."

A short while later, Ashton stood outside the iron gates of the estate clad in a breastplate and shoulder pads with the Flamberge in hand and the Grass Long Sword on his hip. He silently waited for any intruders. But it did not take long for the light of torches to be seen coming closer as they moved along the forest path towards his manor. A minute later, a mob came within view while shouting and raising various weapons into the air. When they came close enough, Ashton called out, "It's very late right now, so this better be good!"

The mob came to a stop roughly thirty feet from Ashton. One of the men at the front called out, "Ashton, what a surprise! Didn't think we'd find you awake at this hour!" The viscount replied, "I wouldn't have heard you coming if it wasn't for my guardian." But one of the men shouted, "Guardian? Don't you mean concubine?" Ashton gave them a shocked and slightly baffled stare, "A what?" The same man explained, "We know of your activities, Sir Ashton! Every single servant you command is female! And they are all Beasts!" Ashton gave him a sharp glare, "Watch it, or you're dead."

One of the thugs shouted, "We know of your sick interests in female animals, you freak!" Ashton grumbled, (Do they know? Did Garyson talk?) Another thug shouted, "Come on, just admit it! You have been messing about with them, haven't you?" Ashton gulped, (Seems that they are not entirely sure. Maybe they showed up out of suspicion.) But just then, Laika burst out of the manor and dashed over to the gates, only to find that Ashton had them bound shut. "Ashton, let me help you!" The viscount turned to her, "I told you to stay out of this! Don't you get it? If you die, our child dies as well!" But a few seconds later, Ashton's face went pale, "Oops…"

One of the thugs laughed, "Ah ha! So you admit it! What do you have to say for yourself, Ashton?" The viscount only slowly turned around and glared at the mob, his eyes a scary red and the Z-shaped markings under his eyes now bold. "What do I have to say for myself? I say what I do is none of your concern unless it directly harms you!" He then pointed the Flamberge at the mob, "Even if my servants are carrying my children, you have no right to criticize me for it! They are my family! And those who would dare hurt my family must get through me first!"

The thug at the front of the mob shouted, "I say this lunatic has gotten off easy long enough! Come on, lads! Let's slaughter this freak and burn his home to the ground and his wretches along with it!" The rest of the mob shouted in unison as they raised their torches and weapons into the air. Ashton gritted his teeth in rage as he prepared himself for battle. "Charge!" The mob made a dash for Ashton with pitchforks and lances at the front. But when they came close enough, Ashton made a sudden wide sweep with the Flamberge, breaking the weapons and sending the mob falling backwards from the force of the strike. As they regained their footing, a pair of wings composed of rainbow flames emerged from Ashton's back. "That was a warning. If you thugs try that again, I will slaughter every last one of you!" But the mob simply charged Ashton again with battle cries filling the air. But a voice shouted, "That's quite enough! All of you stand down!"

The mob came to an abrupt halt as they heard a voice command them to stop. Ashton recognized it right away and calmed down to the point where the Eternal Flame returned to its dormant state. The mob began to step aside as a lone figure pushed its way through the crowd. "Garyson?" The knight then walked over to Ashton with his rapier in hand. "Ashton Redford Crimson, you have been found guilty of bestiality under Rohta law. By order of the queen, you are hereby placed under house arrest! You are forbidden from leaving your home without the queen's consent." He then turned to the mob and ordered, "You heard me! The criminal has been imprisoned! Now get lost!" With disappointed grumbles, the mob slowly made their way back towards Green Mile.

Ashton breathed a sigh of relief, "Garyson, you have no idea how glad I am to see you." Garyson sheathed his rapier and sighed, "I'm so sorry about this." Ashton asked, "Did you talk?" Garyson silently shook his head. "I didn't think you did. That mob sounded as if they had shown up on a hunch. But how did you know? And this decree of house arrest?" Garyson nodded, "After leaving you're home, I decided to stick around in Green Mile for the day. But a few hours ago, I noticed a large number of folks taking up weapons and gathering at the town square. I overheard them discussing a raid on your estate. I then went to the queen and demanded an audience with her, claiming it was of grave importance."

Garyson sighed, "When I told her about what you had done, she showed no ill will towards you and even seemed proud of you. But she also knew that the people of Rohta would not be so forgiving. So she did the only thing she could to protect you. Now that you are under house arrest, the townspeople should stop harassing you. But you still cannot leave your home without being directly summoned by her." Ashton patted Garyson on the back, "Don't be so hard on yourself. I'm grateful you tried so hard to help us. And we still have quite a large amount of food left, so we won't starve." Garyson replied, "I know, but I still feel like this is partially my fault."

Ashton undid the lock on the gate and patted Laika on her head. "Garyson, this is only a temporary setback. Once proof has been found of Pokémon's sentience, I will be freed." Garyson gave Ashton a wave, "True. Even so, be on the lookout for any vigilantes. There's no telling if the townspeople will sit by quietly, even though you have been imprisoned." Ashton nodded, "Doesn't surprise me. I'll keep my wits about me. And thanks again, old friend." The two knights gave a friendly wave to each other before Ashton entered his manor for the night. Still feeling a bit down, Garyson made his way back to Green Mile to find an inn.

Over the next two days, Ashton made certain that his eight lovers did not go outside due to the ever-present threat of vigilantes launching an assault on his home. And everyday, Ashton would arm himself and wait atop his manor to watch for anyone who may try to harm his lovers and their unborn children. He would always sleep at night, but Laika would be exceptionally alert for even the least unusual sounds beyond the manor grounds. It was a time of tension for them, and Ashton was always on edge.

On the third day since Ashton's arrest, the city of Verdant was enjoying a prosperous day as the marketplace bustled with activity at noon. But standing atop the great stone walls at the south of the city were a few guards who were watching for any potential threats, such as bandits or rampaging Pokémon.

One of the guards suddenly spoke up, "Who do you suppose that is?" One of the other guards looked to the south and could make out a lone figure walking along the path towards the city. Although he could not make out any significant features, the guard could make out a very large sword in the person's left hand. "I can't say for sure, but it is carrying a very large sword. Most likely a zweihander." But the other guard replied, "But the only knight in the kingdom whose primary weapon is the zweihander is Ashton! And he was placed under house arrest a few days ago!" One of the guards replied, "If he is here, then he is violating his imprisonment. I will see to him." He then quickly made his way down a ladder and stood at the city gates.

The guard held a sword in his hand while waiting just out of sight. When he heard the clanking of metal greaves, the guard jumped out into the open and spoke, "Ashton, you are under house arrest! You should not be here! Unless you want me to place you under arrest, I advise you….." The guard froze in terror at the sight of the being that stood before him. "Who…who are you? No… What are you?" In a voice that did not sound the least bit human, the entity asked, "Is the Vulcan Warrior here?" The guard shook his head and then made a dash inside the city, "Sound the alarm! There's a monster at the gates!"

The hulking knight savored the moment before the military would attack him. "Yes… Come to me. Offer your souls to me!" He then looked to the sky and shouted, "The time is near! Come to me, Ashton of Green Mile! Come to me, so I may devour your soul, and the Eternal Flame that lies within!"


	24. A Harvest of Souls

A death scream filled the air at the Crimson estate. Cassandra, who had just finished tending to her garden, stood before the front door and watched as Ashton approached her while dragging the corpse of a vigilante that had invaded his home. The blade of the Flamberge was bathed in his blood. Cassandra sighed, "Another one?" Ashton nodded, "Yeah. If memory serves, this makes three intruders over the last ten days. Good thing I anticipated it." He then spoke, "Cassandra, let Zandria know to open the kitchen window. I have some more meat to drop off." The Absol shuddered, "Again? That recipe is pretty tasty, but it's starting to get a little old." She then went inside while Ashton looped around to the back of the manor to hand the corpse over to Zandria.

After dropping the body off at the kitchen, Ashton made his way back to the front door. But as he reached for the handle, the door opened from the inside. He then found Serenade standing there. "Sister?" The Gardevoir spoke, "Ashton, a message has been sent to you. The carrier Pidgeotto is waiting in your bedroom. It seems to be from the queen herself." Ashton nodded, "Thank you for alerting me. I'll see to it now." But just before he passed her, Ashton turned to Serenade, "By the way, have you been feeling well?" She smiled, "Yes, I'm quite fine." Ashton then brought a hand to her slim belly. "I'm surprised that you haven't started to show yet." The Gardevoir giggled, "Oh, I assure you our child is growing normally. We Gardevoir take a long time to give birth. Just as long as humans do, to be precise. I'll start to show in another month or so." Ashton blushed as he smiled, "Good to know. Just don't overexert yourself."

Ashton returned to his bedroom and found a Pidgeotto perched on the windowsill. It was also draped in a small vest that bore Rohta's crest, the same one that adorned the sail of the Perla Celeste. Ashton noticed the pouch hanging from its side and removed a message tube from it. After removing the sheet of paper within, Ashton unrolled it and looked it over. The writing was indeed the queen's handwriting. It read, "My dear Ashton, I apologize for not being able to do more for you. I am so proud of you for following your heart and defying the norms of the kingdom. But I need to see you in person immediately. I am aware of the townspeople's hostility towards you, but I know a way around it. The Pidgeotto that delivered this message is wearing the kingdom's crest. Only royal messengers wear it. If the Pidgeotto accompanies you, the townspeople should know that I have summoned you personally. Now please hurry. The sooner you arrive, the better. Signed, Queen Jessica of Rohta."

Seeing that Ashton had finished reading the message, the Pidgeotto fluttered over to him and perched on his right shoulder. "So you're my escort, eh? You're a bit heavy to be perching upon my shoulder. No matter. I'm stronger than I look." Ashton then walked over to the Kusanagi and strapped it to the left side of his hip. "I know you're with me to insure no one attacks me, but I still need to be careful." He then went out into the hall and spotted Serenade again. "Sister, I have been summoned by the queen. Until I return, make sure no one goes outside." She nodded, "I'll spread the word right away. Take care, Ashton." The viscount then made his way out of the manor and down the path towards Green Mile.

As soon as Ashton reached Green Mile, he felt the eyes of the townspeople glare at him with contempt. But as soon as they saw the royal crest upon the Pidgeotto's vest, they looked away and went back to whatever it was they were doing. Even so, Ashton kept a hand on the hilt of his sword as he made his way through the city. He constantly kept his face in a very serious and aggressive expression in the hopes that potential attackers would be intimidated into keeping their distance.

Before long, Ashton came to the moat that surrounded the royal palace. He called out, "This is Ashton of the Knighthood of Rohta! The queen has summoned me!" A guard positioned atop one of the two battlements replied, "Just a moment, sir!" He then turned around and shouted, "You heard him, lads! Drop the bridge!" The drawbridge then began to lower and hit the opposite side of the moat with a crash. "Please proceed, Ashton!" The viscount waved at the guards and proceeded through the courtyard.

After entering the castle itself and heading down a hall, Ashton stood before the large wooden door that stood before the royal hall. The two same knights that Ashton had seen four months ago pushed the two halves of the door open for him. "Thank you, my friends." Once Ashton was inside, the two knights closed the door and stood watch at their posts. Ashton slowly proceeded down the hall, his footsteps echoing throughout the vast room. He could still feel the presence of the shinobi guards hiding behind the great pillars along the sides of the hall. Once he stood before the queen, Ashton dropped to one knee, "You wished to see me, your highness?" The queen waved her hand, "There's no need for you to kneel, Ashton. I know of your deeds in the Far East. Please stand, great hero. There is much I wish to discuss with you."

Ashton climbed to his feet and asked, "The message you sent me claimed that there was something of grave importance you needed to see me about." The queen nodded, "Yes. And I am glad that you arrived so quickly. But before we begin, please tell me. Are your lovers doing well?" Ashton smiled, "Yes, they are doing fine." The queen blushed, "And their children. Are they fine?" Ashton chuckled, "Yes, our children are still growing. They have not been born yet, but I am making sure that their mothers are always healthy." The queen smiled, "It still tickles me that you found love with so many lovely ladies. But which one of them did you choose to be your bride?" Ashton nodded, "I chose Ruby, the little Lucario girl." The queen giggled, "Oh yes, her. She most certainly is a doll. But enough of that. Let's begin."

Queen Jessica began, "Ashton, precisely one week ago, all contact with Verdant ceased. No one has come from the city for seven days. What is more, most people are too afraid to go near it. Those who must pass through it even go out of their way to go around it. I suspect that a swarm of bandits have overrun the city and have taken the townspeople hostage." But Ashton gave her a skeptical gaze, "I really don't see how that is possible. The academy for knights-in-training, which is run by very skilled instructors, is based in Verdant. Not to mention that Garyson lives there. He's the best duelist with a rapier I have ever known. Considering the number of able knights located in Verdant, I really don't see how a bunch of ragtag ruffians could take control of the entire city."

The queen nodded in agreement with Ashton's suspicions, "I too question the truth behind it, but the truth is that all contact with Verdant has come to a halt." She then asked, "Ashton, I want you to investigate what has occurred in Verdant. If there is indeed a hostage situation, do whatever you can to resolve it. If it is beyond your ability, return at once and disclose your discoveries to me so that we may come up with a suitable strategy to restore order to Verdant. Will you undertake this mission?" Ashton nodded, "I shall." The queen smiled and motioned for two of her shinobi guards to approach them. A second later, two shinobi clad in black clothing stood at Ashton's side. "These two shinobi and two elite knights will accompany you on this mission as backup. Leave for Verdant whenever you are ready." She then motioned for the Pidgeotto atop Ashton's shoulder to come to her. The bird fluttered over to the queen and perched upon the top of the throne. The queen then handed the bird a piece of dried fish as thanks for its services.

As Ashton turned to leave the royal hall, the two shinobi walked alongside him. One asked, "Sir Ashton, forgive me for asking, but is it true that you slew the Yamata no Orochi during your stay in the Far East?" The viscount chuckled, "It is indeed true. And it was a hellish duel." The other ninja gasped, "Amazing! To think the Yamata no Orochi truly existed! And up until now, I thought it was only a legend!" But the other shinobi asked, "And what of the emperor? Did he reward you in any way?" Ashton pointed at the sword at his side, "He did. And it's right there." Completely out of curiosity, the shinobi pulled the sword from its scabbard. "Careful there. That's the Kusanagi." The ninja gasped, "THE Kusanagi? It exists too? Oh, you are most blessed, Sir Ashton! To be entrusted with such a blade… It is a great honor! Tell me, what is it like?" Ashton brought a hand to his chin, "Well, it is exceedingly sharp and can cut through most thinner weapons without any trouble." The ninja nodded as he slid the Kusanagi back into its scabbard, "Most impressive. I would expect no less from a blade of legend."

Just after reaching the courtyard, Ashton heard the clanking of metal boots coming from the left and right. He looked and saw two knights approaching him that were clad in heavy armor and their faces were obscured by their helmets. One was holding a halberd while the other carried a large battleaxe. One spoke, his voice slightly muffled by his helmet, "A pleasure to meet you, Sir Ashton. It is an honor to fight alongside the Vulcan Warrior." The other knight spoke, "The townspeople may view you with disdain, but we still respect you. Any ally to Rohta is an ally to us." Ashton smiled, "I am pleased to see that I am still welcomed in the ranks of the Knighthood of Rohta. Come, my friends. Let's return to my manor. I need to prepare for this mission." The two knights nodded and followed Ashton out of the castle. To protect him from the unruly townspeople, the two shinobi and two knights formed a cross-shaped formation with the shinobi at Ashton's sides and the knights at his front and rear.

A while later, the four escorts waited outside Ashton's manor as the viscount made his way to the armory after returning the Kusanagi to his bedroom. Once in the armory, Ashton opened a large wooden box. Ruby then peeked inside. "Dear, what are you doing?" Ashton replied, "The queen has asked me to investigate a strange occurrence at Verdant." But the Lucario walked over to him and looked over his shoulder, "But just what are you…..oh! What fantastic armor!" Inside the box was a suit of plate armor that had been delivered to the manor two weeks before. Ashton explained, "After we returned home from Celestica, I asked a local blacksmith to forge a new suit of armor for me. You remember what happened to my last one." Ruby gulped as she recalled when that colossal Dragonite smashed Ashton while Lance was controlling it.

Ruby watched as her fiancé slipped on the suit of armor. After several minutes, he was clad in beautiful blue armor. The breastplate and the armor around his arms and legs were a beautiful shade of blue, but the shoulder armor, which had been designed to resemble feathers, was a vibrant red. "How do I look?" Ruby gazed in awe, "It looks even better than the last one!" Ashton smiled, "Glad you like it. And it should serve me well." But Ruby then asked, "But now that I think about it, don't you normally wear just some shoulder pads and a breastplate? Why are you wearing a full suit of armor?" Ashton explained, "True, I usually wear lighter armor to increase mobility. But in times of danger and the like, I'll don a full suit of armor. And there's no telling what may happen when I reach Verdant. Best to be prepared." Just then, Ashton had an idea, "Ruby, go find Serenade and Cassandra and tell them to meet me at the front gates. And I want to see you there as well." The Lucario nodded and ran down the hall.

A short while later, Ashton exited the manor with the Flamberge on his back. "Looking good, sir!" One of the knights spoke. A few seconds later, Serenade, Ruby, and Cassandra came out of the manor as well. Ashton explained, "When we reach Green Mile, stay close to me." The three ladies nodded and huddled close to Ashton. He then looked at his four escorts, "I'm counting on you to keep the townspeople away." One of the two shinobi nodded, "Leave them to us." The four escorts then resumed their formation around the viscount and his lovers. Together, they made their way for Green Mile.

Upon entering the city, Ashton's three lovers leaned against Ashton as they felt the hateful eyes of the townspeople glaring at them. Cassandra whimpered, "Ashton… It feels like they're going to attack us any minute now…" Ashton calmly replied, "Don't worry. If they try anything, I'll kill them myself." But a moment later, one man shouted, "Hey, Ashton! Nice cows you got there! You gonna milk them?" But before Ashton could do anything, the shinobi on his right stopped and threw a shuriken at the brute. The blade barely clipped his ear, but it was enough to send him scurrying in fright. "That should shut them up." Ashton smiled, "Wow. Uh…thanks." The shinobi grinned, "Just think of it as my way of thanking you for protecting my homeland."

A while later, Ashton and his entourage left Green Mile through the north gates and headed along the forest path towards Verdant. Serenade spoke, "Last time we headed in this direction was when we went to visit Mother and Father." Ashton replied, "We're not going quite that far this time. Our destination is Verdant." But Cassandra asked, "Could you please explain what the problem is? If you're wearing armor, it must be serious." Ashton nodded, "The queen has requested that I investigate Verdant. For the past seven days, all contact with Verdant has been lost. No one has come or gone from the city. She suspects that a swarm of bandits or the like invaded and took the population hostage. My mission is to figure out what happened and remedy it if I can." But Ruby asked, "And why did you request us to come along?" Ashton smiled, "I'm so glad you asked." He then explained, "Ruby, you are able to sense the Aura of living creatures. You can look ahead and detect how many enemies are lying in wait. Serenade, being a Gardevoir, you can detect impending peril and alert us to it. Cassandra, you can sense even minute shifts in the environment. There is the possibility that the cause of Verdant's silence is a natural phenomenon. Therefore, you will be able to alert us to any impending disasters before they can occur." Serenade smiled, "Brilliant, Ashton! I will do my best to help out."

After about three hours of walking, the entourage came within site of Verdant's south gate. Ashton signaled for them to stop. "Ruby, are there any sentries posted atop the walls?" The Lucario focused for a moment before replying, "No. There's no one there." Ashton then gave the signal to advance. A few minutes later, they stood just outside the city gates. "Are there any sentries lying in ambush ahead?" Ruby checked again. "Strange… I'm not sensing anyone nearby." Ashton raised an eyebrow, "Seriously? Something doesn't add up."

Ashton and his entourage slowly proceeded into the city of Verdant. Ashton muttered, "It's far too quiet. We should've at least bumped into a booby-trap by now." Serenade added, "And I'm not sensing any danger. Something is definitely amiss." But as they continued through the city, they found multiple homes and stores with their doors smashed in, as if something broke through to gain entry. "There is definitely some proof of an intruder here. Stay on guard." Ashton said as he gripped the hilt of the Flamberge. But when they rounded the next corner, the entire group stood aghast at what laid before them. "No….. This is even worse than the rumors!"

Lining the street were countless bodies that had been strewn about. They showed no sign of injury, but were very still. There were also signs of battle as many of the bodies had discarded weapons nearby. But what shocked Ashton the most were the many bodies of various Pokémon lying about as well. "Whoever did this left no soul untouched. It left no witnesses…" The knight carrying the battleaxe asked, "Sir Ashton, what are your orders?" The viscount ordered, "Search for survivors! Leave no stone unturned!"

Ashton left his four escorts and ran towards the very center of the city. His three lovers stayed near him. Along the way, they found more bodies cluttering the road, human and Pokémon alike. Before long, they came to the town square at the center of the city. Ashton then stared in horror at who was at the very center of the square. He ran over to it and knelt down, "Garyson… Not you too…" Garyson still held his trusty rapier in hand, its blade shattered by a strong blow. Ruby gasped, "Sir Garyson as well?" Ashton shuddered as he held his friend in his arms, "Who did this to you…..?"

A moment later, Ruby's ears twitched as she heard a sound. "Someone's still here!" Ashton dropped Garyson and reached for his weapon before looking around. "Where?" Ruby pointed towards a building that seemed to have been left untouched by the intruder. "Wait… Is that…" Ashton recognized the building as the very same bakery that produced Laura's favorite pastries. Ever so slowly, he shuffled towards the bakery while trying to avoid letting his metal boots clank. When he was just outside it, he demanded, "Who goes there?" A voice screamed, "Don't hurt me! Take whatever you want, but just leave me alone!" Ashton gasped, "A survivor!"

Ashton knocked on the door, "Please remain calm! I am Ashton of the Knighthood of Rohta. I have been sent here on behalf of her majesty!" The voice replied, "Ashton…? The Vulcan Warrior?" The door then slowly creaked open, revealing a middle-aged man cowering in fright. "Ashton?" He nodded, "Yes, it is I. Come. I am most relieved to see you are unharmed." The old man dropped to his knees, "Thank the heavens! I thought for sure it came back for me!" Ashton asked, "Wait….. IT? As in just ONE?" The old man nodded, "Yes. There were no others. It slaughtered everyone! But somehow, I was able to hide. I don't think anyone else was spared." Ashton sighed in despair, "So you're the sole survivor….. A tragedy, to be sure…"

Ashton brought the old man over to a wooden bench and sat him down upon it. "Please tell me everything you saw. What was the intruder?" The old man replied, "To be honest, I thought it was you at first!" Ashton staggered back, "Me?" The baker nodded, "Yes. I know of no one else who can wield such a blade around with such little effort." Ashton grabbed the hilt of his sword, (A blade like mine? Could it be…?) He then looked back at the old man. "But my suspicion was false as I saw the beast continue its rampage. It did not seem human. Its voice sounded otherworldly, a truly demonic tone to it! Its right arm seemed more like a massive claw, complete with only three fingers! And that sword… I swear I saw an eye staring out from the base of the blade! But I will never be able to forget that shade of blue in its armor…" Ashton nodded, "I see. I also like to wear blue." But the baker then shook his head, "No, wait. It wasn't quite blue… It was more…purple! No, that's not it either. The color was something between the two. What's that color I'm thinking of? It's on the tip of my tongue…" Ashton, straight out of the blue, asked, "Azure?" The baker replied, "Yes! Azure! That beast was clad in azure armor! And those eyes….. Like glowing embers in the night! Oh, the horror!" The baker was now delirious from recalling the horrific event.

About an hour later, Ashton heard the clanking of armor as the two knights returned from their search for survivors. The two shinobi also returned by leaping from the rooftops. "Sir Ashton, I regret to inform you that there do not seem to be any survivors." The other three nodded in kind. Ashton replied, "It's all right. We still have a witness. This baker saw the whole thing." But just then, Ashton remembered to ask, "When did this begin?" The baker shuddered, "It all began just past noon seven days ago. And by the time the sun had set, all I could hear was a deathly silence." Cassandra gulped, "That thing must've worked pretty quickly." But Ashton then muttered, "Something doesn't add up…" Ruby asked, "What's wrong?" Ashton explained, "If this happened a week ago, the city should be overrun with the stench of decay. But I don't smell anything out of the ordinary."

Ruby took a sniff of the air, "That's weird. It doesn't smell like rotting flesh at all." But just then, Ashton's eyes went wide. "Ruby, check for the Aura of anything nearby!" The Lucario nodded and focused. "What is this…?" Cassandra asked, "What do you see?" Ruby replied, "All these corpses….. They still have Aura! They're all a bit weak, but they still have it!" Ashton then ran over to Garyson's body and checked for his vital signs. "Unreal….. They're still alive!"

Serenade glided over to Ashton and kneeled next to Garyson before applying her hands to him. "Strange….. His breathing is steady… I only see a few bruises from blunt trauma…" She then spoke, "It almost seems that whoever did this to him was also being very careful to avoid causing fatal injury." Ashton then gave Garyson a shake, "Garyson, wake up! Who did this?" But Garyson remained silent. "What gives?" Ashton then raised an eyelid and saw that Garyson's eyes were still, almost like those of a corpse. "This is scary….. It's like they're dead, yet still alive. Their bodies are still alive, but their souls are dead." But Ashton then recalled the warning Lance gave him while in the Far East. (Or could it be that their souls are gone? But Captain Lance was killed, so why were they spared?) Ashton then ran over to a fallen Pokémon, a Growlithe that had most likely been kept as a pet. He found that it was showing the same symptoms. (There's no mistake. This is the doing of what Captain Lance warned me about!)

Ashton scooped up the lifeless Growlithe in his arms and turned to his entourage. "We must return to Green Mile and alert the queen to what has transpired here. Make sure this old man is kept safe." But the knight armed with a halberd asked, "But what about everyone else?" Ashton sighed, "Leave them here for now." He then ordered, "Escort my servants home. I need to get to the queen immediately." At that moment, a pair of wings composed of rainbow flames emerged from Ashton's back. "Be quick! This is a great crisis we are facing!" He then took to the air and flew south. After gazing in awe for a moment, one knight muttered, "Wings of flames….. No wonder they call him the Vulcan Warrior."

After only twenty minutes of flight, Ashton saw the city of Green Mile come into view. Trying to stay out of sight, he flew around to the back of the castle, which was positioned at the very border of the town. He landed on the roof and carefully made his way down to the courtyard. Once on the ground, he dismissed his wings and ran inside. "Stand aside! I bring news for the queen!" The two guards standing outside the royal hall pushed the door open quickly as Ashton ran past them. When he reached the end of the hall, Ashton dropped to his knees with a clank, "Your majesty…. I bring ill tidings from Verdant."

The queen asked, "Ill tidings? Whatever do you mean?" Ashton explained, "There was indeed an intrusion seven days ago, but it was not by bandits. It was a lone barbarian wielding a sword similar to my own." The queen gasped, "Only one?" Ashton nodded, "Yes, and it slaughtered the entire population. Even the Pokémon were not spared." Jessica brought a hand to her mouth, "My god….." But Ashton added, "However, there was a lone survivor. He claims that the perpetrator was a hulking inhuman beast with a large sword that was clad in azure armor." Queen Jessica nodded, "I will place our military forces on alert for this monster." However, Ashton added, "I still have some good news. Although the population seemed dead, their bodies are actually alive." The queen asked, "Alive? But didn't you say…" Ashton nodded, "Yes, the entire population was targeted, but none of them were actually killed. They are still alive, but are lifeless. It's as if their very souls were removed from their bodies."

Jessica shuddered, "Their souls? But how…" Ashton spoke, "I have something to reveal to you. I was not the one who dealt the final blow to Captain Lance. In the Far East, I encountered him in a reanimated form. Before he could die again, he explained that some sort of monster extracted his very soul from his body and devoured it before killing him when he was injured from our duel. I'd bet my life that the creature who attacked Verdant is the very same abomination." Jessica was silent for a moment before muttering, "A beast that feeds on the very souls of the living…" But Ashton added, "Of course, since it targeted the Pokémon as well, that is proof that they also have souls." Ashton looked down at the lifeless Growlithe in his arms.

Jessica gasped at Ashton's revelation. He gave her a smirk, "You know it too. Why would the Pokémon of Verdant show the same symptoms if they don't have souls? That's because they DO have souls." Jessica sighed in amazement, "Remarkable….." Ashton nodded, "Something good just might come out of this after all." But Jessica replied, "Even so, we cannot be sure that their souls were stolen. Not yet." She then spoke, "Ashton, I shall send a platoon to help you bring the victims here. Until their symptoms disappear, the castle shall act as a temporary shelter for them." Ashton nodded, "Thank you, my lady."

Several hours later, Ashton and the Knighthood of Rohta had brought every last victim of the Verdant massacre, including the Pokémon, to the castle in Green Mile. It was now very late and Ashton had returned home and slipped out of his armor. As he sat in his bedroom, he pondered if the creature that attacked Verdant had any recording in history. Just then, he heard a knock at the door. "Come in." It was Chiara. Ashton smiled, "Ah, just who I wanted to see." The Lugia sighed, "I heard what happened from Serenade. Such a terrible fate for them." Ashton nodded, "True. But the entire kingdom is on alert. That freak won't be able to hide for long."

Ashton asked, "Chiara, did Serenade explain the appearance of the monster to you?" Chiara nodded, "Yes. She told me everything the baker said." He then asked, "And does the description remind you of anything?" The Lugia gave Ashton a shocked glance, but remained silent. "Chiara, you have read every single book in the study. And it contains many volumes regarding many subjects. Are you sure you never read anything that may give a hint to its identity?" Chiara sighed, "Forgive me. I do not recall anything like that." But Ashton was convinced that she was hiding something from him. "I see. Sorry I asked."

At around midnight, Ashton began to research the many books in the study. He checked every book he could find that may contain information about ancient monsters or arcane magic that affects souls. And after an hour of persistent searching, he found a lead. And it shocked him as it was in a book that was out in the open on the bookshelves, a spot Chiara could not possibly have overlooked.

Chiara walked into the study with a candle in hand and a cup of tea in the other. "Ashton, it's very late. Are you going to bed soon?" But the viscount stood where he was, staring down at the book on the table. "Ashton?" He then asked, "You knew, didn't you?" Chiara remained silent. "Why didn't you tell me?" The Lugia sighed, "I had a hunch that it was what you were thinking of, but I had my doubts. I didn't want to spread false information that could lead to trouble later on." Ashton let out a sigh, knowing that Chiara was still lying.

"So, did you find it?" Chiara asked as she shut the door. Ashton sighed and turned around, "Most likely. Although the method it used to extract souls is new. I have never heard of it extracting souls from its victims without killing them first." But Ashton added, "Even so, the rest of the description matches it all too well. And I never thought I would end up having to face this beast." He shuddered, "A massive right arm ending with a claw. A zweihander with an eye near the base of the blade. A monster that wipes out entire villages, devouring the souls of whoever falls before it. And a heartless butcher clad in azure armor."

Chiara remained silent with despair, knowing that her lover had discovered the identity of the mysterious demon. He grumbled, "It all falls in place perfectly. It can only be one thing…" He then faced her, "This beast we are dealing with is none other than the Azure Knight! The wielder of the Sword of Ruin, Soul Edge!"


	25. The Azure Knight

Dark storm clouds began to fill the night sky as Ashton and Chiara stood before each other in the study of the Crimson estate. Having doubts about Chiara's honesty, Ashton had gone searching through the study for any information that may help him identify the creature that wiped out the population of Verdant, human and Pokémon alike. And the information he found matched the description of the beast all too well. The beast that had committed the horrid act was none other than the dreaded Azure Knight.

"Chiara, you knew. I'm sure of it. Why did you hide the truth?" Ashton asked, somewhat hurt that a woman who was in love with him would hide something important from him. The Lugia sighed, "Because I was sure you would hunt it down and fight it." Ashton cocked his head to one side, "Uh huh. And what's wrong with that? Do you really have so little faith in me?" But the Lugia cried, "That's not the point! This is the Azure Knight we are talking about! Something that an entire academy of knights could not defeat! How can one man hope to stand against it?"

Ashton turned to face the book that contained information regarding the cursed sword, Soul Edge. "True. The Azure Knight is a beast that throughout history has slaughtered entire villages and crushed vast armies. But it is really just the body that the sword controls, making them one in the same. And whoever grasps the hilt of Soul Edge becomes the next Azure Knight. It is not something the average warrior can expect to triumph over. And Soul Edge has seen combat throughout countless centuries, so it has a massive amount of experience. A real veteran warrior. I would have my work cut out for me if I ever faced off against it." Chiara then asked, "Then why would you…" Ashton turned to face the Lugia, "If I won't, who will?"

Chiara gasped, "W…what?" Ashton explained, "If I don't stop Soul Edge, who will? More often than not, the form Soul Edge takes is that of a zweihander. And the only way to effectively counter a zweihander is with another zweihander. I should be able to match the Azure Knight with the Flamberge. And I have various Ninja Arts at my disposal, as well as the Eternal Flame. I am the most suited for confronting the Azure Knight. When the sun rises, I will set off to gather information on its whereabouts." But as Ashton made his way for the door, Chiara defiantly blocked his way with her wings spread wide. "Forgive me, but I cannot let you do that!"

Ashton stared in shock at Chiara's defiant behavior. "Chiara, stand aside. I need to get to bed so I may rest up for tomorrow." But the Lugia shouted, "No! I won't let you throw your life away!" Ashton took a step back, "What?" Chiara tearfully spoke, "You know the horrors the Azure Knight has done. If you fight it, you will die!" She then looked into his eyes as tears fell from her face, "Ashton, I love you. And I am certain the other seven would feel the same way if they knew. I know I sound selfish, but I won't let you march off to die! You'll end up leaving behind so much!" But Ashton replied, "I have no intention of dying." Even so, Chiara wept, "That does not mean you will survive! The Azure Knight will still kill you! And if you won't do it for me, do it for your children!" She then brought a hand to her blue belly, "You're going to become a father. I don't want to raise my child alone, without it ever knowing its father. I and the other seven didn't wait this long for you to make love to us only to leave us behind!" But Ashton asked, "And if I insist on going?" Chiara trembled as her eyes began to glow a faint blue, "Then I will do everything in my power to stop you. I swear it! I will not stand by and watch you march off to your death!" Ashton stood silently at Chiara's threat, but tears began to flow from his eyes as he whispered, "You win."

Chiara gasped as she saw her lover crying. "Ashton?" The viscount spoke, "If fighting the Azure Knight comes at the cost of your life, then I will not seek it out. I would never be able to forgive myself if I ever harmed you or the others." He then approached Chiara and threw his arms against her belly in a type of embrace, "I'll stay. If leaving would hurt you so, I will remain here." Chiara lowered her head and nuzzled against his face as her great wings folded around him in a tender embrace. "Forgive me. I did not mean to hurt you." Chiara spoke with a sob. But Ashton sighed, "It is fine. And you are right." He then laid a hand against her belly, "I am going to become a father eventually. Each of you is carrying my children, and I want to be there for them when they are born." Chiara replied, "I am glad that you chose to stay. In time, I'm certain our children will be grateful as well." But Ashton added, "However….. I will have to face the Azure Knight eventually."

Chiara gasped, "But didn't you just…" Ashton shushed her, "Yes, I did promise to remain here instead of seeking out the Azure Knight." He then took a step back, "However, the Azure Knight, or rather Soul Edge, will come here to feast on our souls. It's only a matter of time. Sooner or later, it will come. And I will do everything in my power to protect you." Chiara sighed, "I…see… But we are only nine while many other souls reside throughout the kingdom. Surely it will leave us alone in favor for more populous locations." Ashton silently nodded, slightly disgusted to hear his Lugia lover say such a thing.

Ashton slowly made his way down the hallway towards his bedroom, the guilt of leaving Soul Edge alone nagging at his conscience. When he entered his room, he was slightly surprised to see Ruby sitting at an end table while reading by candlelight. When she heard him enter, the Lucario looked towards him and smiled, "Ready for bed, dear?" Ashton asked, "You're still awake?" The Lucario giggled and stood up, "It didn't feel right to go to bed without my husband." Ashton's eyes trailed downwards until they rested upon Ruby's belly. Now halfway through her pregnancy, she was fairly swollen.

Ashton walked over to Ruby and picked her up in his arms. "Ashton, I can walk." But he nodded, "I know. You just look so cute with a baby growing inside you." She blushed, "Awww, you're such a good father." Ashton then laid Ruby upon their bed and climbed under the covers after removing his shirt. He then reached down and ran his fingers along Ruby's swollen belly. "Ashton, you're tickling me!" Ruby said with a giggle. The viscount sighed, "I'll always be there for you, my child. Daddy's here." But as he continued to rub Ruby's yellow belly, tears began to form in his eyes. He then pulled the covers down and laid his head against her belly. Ruby gasped, "Ashton?" He whispered, "I'll always be there for you. Always. My beautiful little child." Ashton continued to gently nuzzle his unborn child as Ruby blushed with pride. "Ashton, our child will absolutely adore you." Ashton then pulled the covers over them and gave Ruby a kiss, "Goodnight, my dear." Ruby snuggled up to him and sighed, "Good night, Ashton." The two lovers soon fell asleep together, but their child kicked a few times, as if reaching out to its father.

That night, Ashton had a most disturbing dream. He found himself in the town of Green Mile, the city engulfed in flames. Around him were the dismembered corpses of the townspeople, brutally slaughtered by a large blade. Ashton screamed, "Ruby! Laura! Serenade! Anyone! Are you out there?" A few seconds later, he heard Ruby scream, "Ashton! I'm over here! The…" But she suddenly stopped short. Fearing the worst, Ashton made a dash towards the direction he heard her voice from with the Flamberge in his right hand.

Ashton dashed through the streets, ignoring every corpse he came across. Through the burning city, he made his way to the very front of the castle. He ran across the burning drawbridge just before it could collapse into the moat. But when he reached the courtyard, Ashton came to a sudden halt as his eyes went wide with horror. Lying before him were the bodies of his eight lovers, their children cut from their wombs. Their partially developed bodies rested near their mothers. Ashton wanted to scream, but he could not even open his mouth.

Ashton slowly scanned the bodies of his eight lovers. Laura had a tiny Latios and Latias near her while Laika had three tiny pups near her bleeding corpse. The others had only one, but he soon saw that Ruby did not have her child near her. He then looked ahead slightly and saw a hulking knight clad in azure armor. Its right arm was more of a grotesque claw that ended with three fingers. There even seemed to be a toothy maw on its shoulder. The knight's crimson eyes stared out from a helmet that had a silver spike extending from the forehead. In the knight's left hand rested a large sword that was standing straight up with its tip in the ground. The blade was somewhat triangular with the cutting edge mostly on the lower side. But the rest of the sword seemed to be living flesh. And towards the rear of the massive blade Ashton saw an eye staring at him. Ashton then looked back towards the hideous right arm and saw blood oozing out from between its three fingers as it seemed to be gripping something. A few seconds later, the hand opened and dropped something to the ground. Ashton gasped in silent horror as he saw the tiny body of a Riolu lying before the knight, its body soaked in its mother's blood. The knight then spoke in a dark mocking voice, "Even the souls of the unborn provide me with more strength."

Ashton glared ahead at the Azure Knight with eyes filled with hate, sorrow, and despair. The Azure Knight saw this and smirked, "Yes. That's it. I want to see your madness." Ashton's eyes began to quiver with wrath as he raised his sword and let out a terrible scream. He then charged at the Azure Knight and took a leap at it. But the knight stood where it was and did nothing as Ashton brought the Flamberge down hard, splitting the knight in two. The flesh seemed to rot into a pile of mush as the armor collapsed around it.

Ashton panted in horror as he looked around him. The sight of his eight lovers and their children very nearly drove him mad. "How could it do this to you…? What kind of monster would do this?" But the very same voice that had come from the Azure Knight replied, "You should ask yourself that question!" Ashton looked around before looking up to see the burning eye of Soul Edge staring down at him. "I was not at fault! You allowed this to happen!" Ashton staggered back, "No… I had nothing to do with this!" But Soul Edge shouted, "You did nothing to protect your loved ones! You stood by and did nothing as they and your children died!" Ashton felt tears flowing down his face, "No… They pleaded with me to stay with them….. They refused to let me…" But Soul Edge laughed, "If you need further convincing, just look at your weapon! See the blade you hold smeared with their blood!" Ashton then looked down at his right hand and froze in terror to see that he was not holding the Flamberge, but the cursed blade of Soul Edge itself! Its blade was still soaked in the blood of his family. "No….. This can't be my doing!" But as he looked down at the sword, his arm began to bulge and mutate as it became just as monstrous as that of the Azure Knight itself. Ashton then saw the metal gauntlet covering his left hand start to change from blue to azure. Soul Edge then roared, "I am not the Azure Knight! YOU ARE, ASHTON!" Ashton's eyes, now a terrifying crimson hue, poured tears as he let out a scream of despair as the evil sword took command, forever changing the Vulcan Warrior into the next Azure Knight.

Ashton woke up suddenly as he hit the floor of his bedroom. Ruby felt Ashton fall out of bed and crawled over to the edge and looked down at him. "Are you all right?" Ashton's only reply was a pathetic whimper as he brought his hands to his face. Ruby heard him sobbing and jumped down to him. "Dear, what's wrong?" But Ashton still could not speak. Ruby then embraced him and whispered, "It's OK. It was just a dream. It didn't really happen." She gently caressed his face as Ashton slowly calmed down. (I've never seen him like this. What in the world did he see?)

A few days passed, and Ashton did what he could to take his mind off of Soul Edge. Chiara had alerted the other seven ladies to Ashton's intent, and they had all agreed to stop him if he tried to leave. Although he tried to enjoy their company, his conscience would not leave him alone. He was constantly tormented by the guilt of knowing that Soul Edge could be slaughtering an entire city somewhere, and he could not go off to stop it without his loved ones getting in the way.

Ashton kneeled before the tombstone of Serra one day at just past noon. "Serra, what should I do?" He could still remember his vow to her, when he promised to find love anew. "I want to protect my loved ones, but they will not allow me to leave for fear that I will not return. What should I do?" Just then, a voice spoke from behind him, "Do whatever you think is best." Ashton recognized the voice right away and turned around. Standing before the gates was Koga. "Master Koga?" The wise old shinobi laughed, "I told you I would be visiting! Remember?" Ashton blushed, "Oh, right. Completely forgot." He then walked over to the gate and unlocked it. "Sorry that the gate was locked. I've been placed under house arrest and some vigilantes occasionally drop by to assassinate me. Naturally, they always fail." Koga gave Ashton a shocked glance, "You? House arrest? What could a fine boy like you be arrested for?" Ashton smiled, "Come inside and I will show you."

Ashton led Koga to his bedroom and pulled a chair out for him. "Thank you. Now tell me, why have you been arrested?" Ashton sighed, "The townspeople think I'm guilty of bestiality." Koga raised an eyebrow, "Say what?" Ashton pointed at Laika, who was resting on Ashton's bed. Koga gave a blank stare, "Yes…. So what is your point?" Ashton smiled and walked over to Laika. He gently patted her on the head and rolled her over slightly, showing Koga her underside. It was somewhat swollen, her pink flesh visible through her white fur. Koga then gasped, "Ashton….. You had children with a Pokémon?" Ashton nodded, "Not just yet, but they're on the way."

Koga smiled, "Ashton, I never imagined that you would fall in love with a Pokémon. I'm not disgusted, but I am surprised." Ashton leaned over to Laika and gave her a kiss on the nose, prompting a calm smile from her. "And not just her, but the other seven as well." Koga shouted, "WHAT? THEM TOO?" Ashton nodded, "They were heartbroken when I announced that I had chosen Ruby to be my bride, so I gave them the option of bearing my children." Koga then asked, "And Ruby did not mind?" Ashton smiled, "She loves them like sisters. She didn't want them to be unhappy, so she wanted them to experience the same kind of joy she feels." Koga grinned, "That's what I always liked about you the most, Ashton. You have a big heart."

Koga's tone suddenly turned serious, "Ashton, I heard the entire population of Verdant was crippled by a single intruder. Was it the Azure Knight?" Ashton gulped, surprised that Koga was aware. He added, "Don't be surprised. Anyone who has ever held a weapon knows at least a little about Soul Edge, as do I." Ashton nodded and turned to Laika, "Laika, would you please leave us alone for now? Master Koga and I need to speak in private." The she-wolf slowly got up and walked outside the room before Ashton closed and locked the door. But a few seconds later, he raised his voice, "And no eavesdropping!" There was a disappointed growl from behind the door as Laika walked away.

Ashton took a seat across from the small table. "Master Koga, your guess is correct. The Azure Knight has returned. It devoured the souls of the humans and Pokémon of Verdant. But for some reason, their lives were spared. Right now, they're nothing more than hollow shells." Koga nodded, "I see. Well, seeing as how you have been blessed with the Eternal Flame, I say you are the ideal opponent for the Azure Knight." Ashton nodded, "True. And I was planning on hunting it down. But….." He sighed, "My eight lovers do not have your faith. They are certain that if I fight the Azure Knight, I will perish. And they claim that they will do everything in their power to prevent me from leaving if I try."

Ashton banged his hands down onto the table and pleaded, "Master Koga, I don't know what to do! I truly love my family, but I also cherish my kingdom! I'm devastated that I'm stuck here while the Azure Knight is roaming the countryside! It could be attacking another town right now, and I wouldn't be able to stop it!" He then pleaded, "Master Koga, what should I do?" Koga then gave him a sly smirk, "The only way for you to go after the Azure Knight without your lovers getting in the way would be to leave without them knowing you're gone." He then walked over to Ashton and began to whisper something into his ear.

A few hours later, Koga stood just outside the front door to the manor while Ashton and Ruby stood in the doorway. Koga sighed, "I never expected Zandria to have become this skilled at eastern cuisine." Ashton smiled, "Oh yeah, that seafood noodle soup really hits the spot." Ruby then bowed, "It was a pleasure to see you again, Master Koga." The elderly shinobi kneeled down and gently rubbed her belly, "I'm sure you will make a fine mother, Ruby. Just make sure you keep an eye on my pupil here." Ashton chuckled, "Oh, each of them are watching me like a hawk." Ashton and Koga then shared a friendly handshake. Koga then spoke, "Don't bother opening the gate. I'll just jump it this time." He then turned and ran over to the gate before clearing it with a single leap. He then turned and waved goodbye before setting off down the path to Green Mile.

Upon arriving in Green Mile, Koga made his way to the moat that surrounded the castle. One of the guards atop the battlements called down, "Oy! Who're you, old man?" Koga replied, "I am Koga of the Far East! I need to speak with the queen regarding the occurrence in Verdant!" But before the guard could order the guards below to drop the drawbridge, Koga shouted, "Oh, no need for that!" He then jumped to the moat and ran across the water and up the walls that surrounded the castle. He then performed a flip over the top and landed on his feet in the courtyard. The guard whistled, "You soldiers of the east are something else!" Koga laughed, "Thank you!"

Koga soon stood before the two guards positioned outside the royal hall. "I need to speak with the queen regarding the Verdant incident. I am Koga, mentor to Ashton Redford Crimson." The guards then pushed the two halves of the door open and allowed the shinobi inside. Koga then walked to the end of the hall and kneeled before the queen. "My lady, it pleases me to know our ninja sentries are performing their duties well." The queen smiled, "Yes, I am most grateful to your emperor. You are Koga, are you not?" He nodded, "I am. And Ashton has entrusted me to deliver some information to you."

Koga explained, "A few days ago, Ashton discovered the identity of the monster that attacked Verdant. It was the Azure Knight, the wielder of the demon sword, Soul Edge." Jessica brought a hand to her face, "The Azure Knight? Truly?" Koga nodded, "Indeed. There is no other entity that better matches the description." He then explained, "If it is indeed the Azure Knight, you must alert the soldiers throughout the kingdom to NOT engage it in combat. They will stand no chance against it." The queen nodded, "I see. Yes, I will send word to them to flee on sight." Koga nodded, "Thank you. I will search the kingdom for signs of the Azure Knight and its whereabouts. Good day, your majesty." Koga then turned to leave and proceeded out of the royal hall.

After leaving the castle the same way he entered, Koga headed north to the border of Green Mile. Once he had passed the gates, he looked around to see if anyone could spot him. "Looks like I'm far enough." He then brought his hands together and made a hand sign. A second later, he was engulfed in a puff of white smoke. When the smoke cleared, he spoke, "Forgive me, Ruby. But I must stop the Azure Knight." Clad in his new suit of armor, Ashton made his way north.

Ashton came to Verdant after walking along the forest path for a few hours. With autumn a short ways off, the night was coming early. Ashton felt a cool breeze as he entered through Verdant's south gate. The wind sounded almost as if it was weeping for the people of Verdant. Ashton sighed as he stood in what used to be the most prosperous city in Rohta. "It doesn't feel right when it's this quiet." Ashton then proceeded through the city, his clanking boots echoing throughout the ghost town.

When he reached the center of the city, Ashton turned to see the rooftop of the academy where he trained as a squire. With a heavy heart, he made his way towards it. When he stood before the heavy wooden gates, he was not surprised to find them smashed by a heavy weapon, most likely Soul Edge itself. Even so, all the victims inside had been removed and were now resting in Green Mile. Ashton then made his way inside and walked around while searching for the stairs that led down into the basement. When he entered the familiar underground passageway, Ashton went straight to the stables. He sighed heavily to find them empty. Even the majestic dragons had not been spared during the Azure Knight's rampage.

With very slow steps, Ashton walked to the very back of the stables and stood before the empty stable where he always found Serra. His memories came flooding back to him. The beautiful and sassy Salamence who loved him enough to die for him. She was the perfect woman for him. Ashton could feel tears building up as he shuddered. "If you had only stayed here, your soul would have been stolen. But you would still be alive." But Ashton soon wiped his tears away, "No… If you had not been there, I may not have survived. I owe you my life." He then whispered, "Rest peacefully, Serra. I'll see you again someday."

After leaving the academy, Ashton left Verdant through the north gate. By now, the sun had set and the darkness of night was rapidly growing. "I didn't come prepared for a night in the woods. Better head home for the night." Ashton continued through Viridian Forest until he came to a familiar brook. Even in the dark of night, he recognized it. "I'll bet Mother and Father aren't expecting me." With the clanking of his armor combined with the snapping of twigs, Ashton made quite a bit of noise as he made his way through the underbrush.

With the sun completely set, Ashton soon noticed the glow of candles and oil lamps in several windows of the humble cottage that he was raised in. He smiled, "It always feels great to come home." After checking around the exterior for his father, Ashton walked to the door and knocked a few times. A moment passed with no reply. After knocking again, Ashton became slightly annoyed by the lack of an answer. But his eyes went wide at a scary thought. "Oh god, no….." Ashton then barged the door open and ran inside. "Mother! Father! Where are you?" But when he entered the dining room, Ashton stopped at the sight of his parents staring at him with stunned expressions.

"Phew….. I thought it got you too…" Ashton said with a sigh of relief. But his mother slowly stood up and walked over to him with a deathly silence. "Mother?" The beautiful Gardevoir gazed into his eyes for a moment before embracing him and sobbing against his chest. "My boy… My precious little boy…" Ashton patted his mother on the back, "Did something happen while I was away?" Siegfried then stood up and walked over to them. "Starlet, there's no need to cry. Ashton is just fine." The Gardevoir sobbed, "I know… Just…give me a moment." Siegfried nodded, but soon embraced them both as tears fell from his eyes. Ashton gulped, "Father, I almost never see you cry. What happened while I was gone?"

Once Siegfried and Starlet stopped crying, they took a step back and looked their son over. Starlet smiled, "What a fine suit of armor you have. Looks good on you." Ashton grinned, "Thanks. I only got it a few weeks ago." Siegfried took a glance at the Flamberge on his back, "I see you're still using that monster of a sword." Ashton nodded, "It's like an extension of my hand. I can't think of using anything else." But Ashton then asked, "But why were you so happy to see me? Did something happen?" Starlet sighed, "Something happened while you were away that gave us reason to believe you were dying." Ashton gasped, "I was what?" Starlet brought a hand to her chest, "Do you remember that peridot you gave me? One day a couple of months ago, it cracked without anything striking it. I thought for sure we would never see you again." Ashton thought for a moment before grumbling, "Orochi….." Siegfried asked, "Who?" But Ashton shook his head, "Oh…nothing. But where is that peridot?" Siegfried walked over to a small end table and picked something up. "It's right here." He then handed it to Ashton. But when he inspected it, he asked, "Are you sure it cracked? I'm not seeing any." Starlet then took it and looked closely. "The cracks are gone?" Siegfried smiled, "Perhaps that is its way of saying Ashton will be fine." Starlet smiled, "Guess I'll have to get a new thread for it. But anyway, would you like to stay for dinner?" Ashton nodded, "Actually, I was hoping to spend the night here. I didn't come prepared for a night out in the woods." Siegfried laughed, the light from a candle illuminating his blue head. "Of course you can stay! This is your home, after all!"

After removing his armor and placing it and the Flamberge in his bedroom, Ashton took a seat at the dinner table. Lying before him were fried potatoes, lightly salted spinach, and a roasted chicken. "Nothing beats a mom's home-cooking." Ashton said as he inhaled the aroma of the meal. Starlet giggled, "I'm glad you think so. Let's dig in." Starlet began to pass around the food and served them on the plates.

As they ate, Siegfried asked, "So, Ashton. Are you alone out here?" He nodded, "Yep. Everyone's back home right now. But my old teacher is with them." Siegfried replied, "You mean that ninja? Koga, wasn't it?" Ashton nodded, "Yeah. I know he'll keep watch over them." But Starlet asked, "But why are you all the way out here alone? And you were dressed in a full suit of armor. Did something happen?" Ashton sighed as he set his utensils down, "Yes. Do you know what happened in Verdant about ten or so days ago?" Siegfried asked, "You mean when the entire population fell ill?" Ashton shook his head, "No. They are not ill. The truth is much darker."

Ashton asked, "Father, do you know of something called Soul Edge?" Siegfried nodded, "Anyone who knows the ways of combat knows of that thing. Why do you ask?" Ashton explained, "Because it was Soul Edge that caused the townspeople to fall ill. Except it wasn't an illness. It attacked the city and devoured the souls of every single person there, including the Pokémon. But for some reason, the victims survived. But they're nothing but empty shells now." Siegfried gulped, "The Azure Knight? It lives?" Starlet gasped, "And it took out everyone there? Even the knights?" Ashton silently nodded. Starlet then asked, "But what does that have to do with you being out here alone?" Ashton replied, "What does it have to do with me? Isn't it obvious?" His parents only stared at him with shock. "I'm searching for the Azure Knight. I intend to slay him and Soul Edge along with it."

Siegfried slowly stood up from the table and stared at his son. "Ashton, don't be a fool." Ashton replied, "Don't try to stop me, Father. I am the only knight in the kingdom who has a chance." But Siegfried shouted, "Ashton, I forbid you from going anywhere near that beast!" Ashton looked over at his father. Siegfried continued, "You know what that thing is capable of. It's notorious for bringing down entire armies. One man can't stand up to it!" Ashton slowly stood up from his chair. Siegfried then extended his elbow blades, "I won't let you march off to die. Even if I must fight you." Starlet brought her hands to her face as she watched her husband stand against their son. Ashton slowly walked toward his father before stopping several inches from him. He then gently set a hand on his father's arm. "I have no intention of dying. I have too much to leave behind."

Ashton's words seemed to get through to his father as Siegfried's blue elbow blades retracted. The Gallade sighed, "Ashton, you know I have always loved you as my son. And I know you are one of the finest knights in the kingdom, if not THE finest. But Soul Edge is a monstrous demon. Do you really believe you can bring that thing down?" Ashton replied, "Make no mistake. Even I am somewhat afraid of Soul Edge. But I'm more fearful of what will happen if I ignore its activities. And besides….." Ashton then gave his parents a proud smile, "I want to see the moment in eight months when you two become grandparents."

Siegfried and Starlet gave their son a stunned gaze. Starlet asked, "Ashton….. What do you mean?" Ashton smiled, "Serenade told me, Mother." Siegfried smirked, "Oh, that. Well, what was your answer?" Ashton smiled, "Serenade is pregnant with my child." Starlet, unable to contain her joy, stood up and ran over to Ashton and embraced him while weeping in joy. "Ashton, I'm so proud of you! I always knew you and Serenade would make a perfect couple!" But Ashton replied, "Actually, that's not what's going to happen. Ruby is the one I have chosen to marry." His parents gave him baffled stares. Siegfried asked, "Ruby? But didn't you and Serenade…" Ashton gave him a toothy grin, "Yes, Serenade is carrying my child, but so is Ruby. And not just them. The other six girls are pregnant with my children as well." Starlet gasped, "All eight? But…but…" Ashton explained, "It was a difficult decision, but I chose Ruby to be my bride. But Serenade and the others were terribly hurt by my choice. So to make them happy, I offered them the choice to bear my children. And now, everyone is joyful about us being one big family." Ashton turned to Starlet, "I'm sorry, Mother. I know you wanted me to marry Serenade, but my decision is Ruby and I am sticking with it." But the Gardevoir only smiled and embraced him, "That is quite all right. Knowing that you and Serenade are going to give us a grandchild in eight months is all I need."

A short while later, Ashton rested in his bed after taking a hot bath. He sighed, pleased by the familiar feel and smell of the humble cottage that he was raised in. Suddenly, he heard the door open and saw his mother walk in with a candle in hand. "Still awake, dear?" Ashton smiled, "Yes. Just taking in the sounds of the forest." She set the candle down on a table and took a seat next to the bed. Ashton spoke, "Serenade told me something about you. Something about you wanting to marry me if you were still single." Starlet blushed and brought a hand to her mouth, "She did? Well, I always did love you." Ashton chuckled, "Yes, I know. And I don't hold it against you." He then gave Starlet an odd gaze, "Mother, I know I said last time that it would only be that once, but….." Starlet smiled, "I see. You want some warm milk. Well, you showed up at a good time." She then pulled part of her vest away, revealing her beautiful motherly breast. "Take your time. Drink as much as you want."

Ashton sat up a bit and began to suckle from his mother's breast. The flavor of her milk was warm and satisfying. But as he suckled, Ashton's member began to throb for some reason as it began to stiffen. What was more, Starlet began to pant as her womanhood began to become moist. To her surprise, Ashton grabbed the rest of her vest and yanked it down, revealing her other breast. Ashton then took his mouth off her breast and began to suckle the other one. While doing that, Ashton grabbed Starlet's spent breast and gently massaged it. The Gardevoir gasped and moaned as her beloved son fondled her so lovingly.

"Ashton….. Please stop for a moment." Ashton heard Starlet and stopped suckling and touching her. He then realized what he had done and blushed, "Mother… I don't know what came over me…" But the Gardevoir smiled and asked, "Tell me. Is Serenade as beautiful as I am?" Ashton merely replied, "Let's just say I know where she got her beauty from." Just then, the white cloth around Starlet's womanhood vanished. Ashton gulped, "Mother… We really shouldn't…" But she then grabbed Ashton's erect member. "What's this? Sleeping in the nude?" She then whispered, "Ashton. As you know, we are not related at all. Please, just this once. Make me feel what it's like to have you as a lover." Ashton blushed, "You weren't joking at all, were you?" She shook her head, "Not at all. If I never met your father, I would've taken you as my husband. And I would've given birth to your children many times over." Ashton shuddered at the thought of impregnating his own mother, but she giggled, "Don't worry. I'm not very fertile right now. There won't be any unexpected additions to the family." Ashton sighed, "Very well, but just this once. I don't even want to think about what Father would do if he found out." But Starlet replied, "Don't worry. He's fast asleep. So shall we begin?"

Starlet positioned herself above Ashton's pointed member and brought herself down. Ashton let out a gasp as he felt his mother's warm flesh envelop his manhood. As Starlet began to make love to her son, she asked, "So, what's it like to make love with a real woman?" Ashton panted as he gazed at his mother's beautiful body. She was only in her mid thirties, so she was still quite young. As she bounced up and down on his member, Starlet leaned forward, "My beloved Ashton, kiss me." She then threw her arms around Ashton and sealed lips with him, forcing her tongue into his mouth. Ashton closed his eyes and pressed into the kiss.

Mother and son continued to make passionate love for several more minutes, never breaking the kiss and tenderly embracing each other. Starlet was beautiful, a perfect woman. And Ashton could not help but feel attracted to her. If she was still single, he would propose to her without delay. Their orgasms were quickly building as the two lovers kissed. Without breaking the kiss, Ashton fired powerful bursts of fertile semen into his mother as her inner walls clamped down on him. Their faces went red with a blush as they rode out their climaxes together.

Starlet slowly broke the kiss with her son. A tad dizzy from their orgasms, they only gazed at each other for a moment. Starlet then sighed, "Amazing. You're every bit of a man as your father." Ashton replied, "And you're every bit as beautiful and tender as Serenade." The mother and son then embraced each other. "I love you, Mother." The Gardevoir replied, "I love you too, Ashton." Starlet then slowly raised herself off of Ashton and fixed her dress. Ashton asked, "Tell me. Do you still love Father?" Starlet smiled, "Oh, I adore Siegfried. I could never leave that man. As much as I love you, he is the real man of my dreams." Ashton smiled, "Glad to hear it. I don't want to cause a rift in the family." Starlet picked up her candle and stood outside the room, "Ashton, I know I don't need to say this….." But she then gave him a look of great fear, "Take care when you find the Azure Knight." Ashton nodded, "I will, Mother. I will live to see the day you become a grandmother." She smiled, "Thank you. And good night, dear." The two shared a friendly wave before Starlet made her way down the hall as Ashton drifted off to sleep.

Back at the Crimson estate, Koga stood outside Ashton's bedroom. (I still have to wonder how he came up with that concoction that masks ones' scent.) But when he entered the room, he stopped at the sight of Laura gently reclining on the bed while holding her head up with a hand. "Laura?" The Latias gave him a lustful smile, "What're you waiting for, Ashy? Come give Mommy some love." Koga looked at Laura's swollen belly. "Um…could this wait until tomorrow?" Koga asked with a nervous grin. But Laura suddenly flew over to him and gripped his pants, "No way, handsome. I need you inside me NOW."

Koga cursed his luck in his mind, (Oh god, NO! Ashton, please come home soon…..)


	26. Soul Edge's Invitation

Ashton awoke to the sound of birds chirping outside his window. He then turned and saw a familiar Pidgey perched on the windowsill. Ashton got out of bed and walked over to it, forgetting he was still nude. "Hello, old friend. I'm surprised you haven't evolved after all these years." But the Pidgey gave Ashton an odd stare. Ashton noticed and gulped, "Thanks for reminding me." He went over to his clothes and put on some undergarments. "Much better." Just then, he recognized the scent of roast pork being cooked. "Mother is cooking breakfast." He then quickly clothed himself and went to the door. He waved at the Pidgey, "Take care. Maybe I'll see you again sometime."

Once seated at the dinner table, Ashton watched his father sit down. "Sleep well, Ashton?" Siegfried asked as he sipped some fruit juice. Ashton smiled, "Yes. Been a long time since I slept that well." Just then, Starlet came in with a large plate of fried potatoes. "Seems that potatoes go well with any meal of the day." She then set the plate down and went back into the kitchen to fetch the roast pork and a bowl of fresh fruit. Once they were all seated, Ashton smiled, "It warms my heart that I am feasting with my family again." Siegfried nodded, "And it warms our hearts that you are here with us. Let's enjoy ourselves, shall we?"

As they feasted on their breakfast, Starlet asked, "Ashton, have you and Serenade decided on a name for our grandchild?" Ashton shook his head, "Not yet. Don't know if it will be a boy or girl." But just then, Ashton remembered something. "Mother, did a Dragonair named Dimitri ever stop by here about four months ago?" She smiled, "Yes, he did. An old friend of yours?" Ashton nodded, "We go back a long way. Where is he?" Siegfried explained, "He told us that you sent him. We let him stay here and he enjoyed our company. But he went out for a flight a few weeks later. After a few days, he returned and claimed that he had found a place in the northeastern corner of the kingdom of Clavice known as the Dragon's Den. Seems that dragons are welcome there and feel very much at home. He then left to live there." Ashton smiled, "So Dimitri found a new home. Glad to hear it. Maybe I'll see him again someday."

After finishing breakfast, Ashton let out a long grunt as he stretched. "Excuse me for a moment. I need to go outside and stretch my wings." He then stood up and made his way outside. Siegfried chuckled, "Stretch his wings? Not bad." But Starlet jumped, "Did you just hear a fire erupt?" Suspicious, the couple went to the front door and looked outside. To their shock, they saw Ashton with his back to them as a pair of large wings composed of rainbow flames sprouted from his back. Siegfried gasped, "Ashton….. What in the world…." Ashton heard his father and turned to face them. To their surprise, the Z-shaped scars under Ashton's eyes had become bolder and his eyes were a bright red. Although his eyes intimidated them slightly, Ashton gave them a cheery smile, "What's wrong? I'm just stretching my wings!"

Starlet slowly approached Ashton and reached out to his wings. Seeing that she was hesitant, Ashton explained, "Don't worry. They won't burn you unless I want them to." She then reached out and caressed his wing. Although composed of flames, it felt like feathers. She went around to his backside and ran her hands along the top of his wing, "Ashton, they're beautiful! It's like you're an angel!" Aston laughed, "Funny you mention that! Ho-Oh called me that too." Starlet gasped, "You know?" Ashton nodded, "Yes. I found out about this wondrous power while I was in the Far East. Ho-Oh spoke to me in a vision. She called me her Angel of the Eternal Flame." He then gave Starlet a thankful gaze, "Mother, I am grateful that you went to such lengths to save me."

Starlet smiled, "Serenade told you, didn't she?" Ashton gave her a nod. She then took a step back, "But are they just for show, or can you fly with them?" Ashton gave her a sneaky glance, "See for yourself! Come fly with me, Mother!" He grabbed her by the hand and flapped his wings. A second later, they were airborne. Siegfried watched in silent awe as his son rose higher into the air. "Oh…my…goodness!" Starlet shrieked as she looked down. But Ashton laughed, "Oh, no you don't! We're just getting started!" He then performed an underhand toss and sent his mother flying straight up. He then flapped his wings hard and pursued her.

Once Starlet was at the height of the throw, Ashton caught up with her and caught her in his arms. She looked around, amazed to find herself above the forest canopy. "Ashton, is this real?" He replied, "See for yourself." Holding her in his arms, Ashton took off above the Viridian Forest. Starlet screamed in giddiness as she soared in the arms of her son. "This is simply amazing! I never imagined flying over the forest before!" Ashton smiled, "Shall I go faster?" Starlet shook her head, "No, I don't want to risk falling." Ashton nodded and descended slightly, flying just barely above the treetops. Starlet reached down and plucked a leaf from a tree as they flew by. She clutched it gently in one hand while her other arm held onto Ashton's neck. "Ashton, let's go home. Your father is probably worried sick." With a nod, Ashton made a wide swerve in the air and made his way back home.

When Ashton spotted the clearing their home was in, he flapped his wings to come to a stop and slowly descended while fluttering his wings lightly. Once on the ground, Ashton set his mother down and dismissed his wings, his eyes and scars returning to normal. Siegfried ran over to Starlet, "Are you OK? He didn't drop you, did he?" Starlet giggled, "It was such a thrill! I can't describe the feeling of flight!" The Gallade looked at his son, "With that kind of mobility, I'm certain you can bring the Azure Knight to his knees!" Ashton gasped, "Darn it, I completely forgot! Excuse me!" He then ran past his parents and into the cottage. A few minutes later, he ran back out clad in his armor and the Flamberge on his back. But before he could run off, Starlet grabbed him by the arm, "Just a moment. I want to give you something."

Ashton turned to his mother and watched her enter their home. He turned to his father, "What do you suppose it is she wants to give me?" Siegfried shrugged his shoulders, "No clue." A moment later, the Gardevoir emerged from the cottage with a large blanket of cloth in her arms. "A bed sheet?" Ashton asked. But Starlet giggled, "Of course not! It's a cloak. A traveler's necessity." She then walked over to Ashton, "Autumn is upon us. That means it's starting to get cool out. Even now, it's a tad chilly. This should keep you warm during the night." Ashton smiled and pulled the insulating cloth over him. It completely concealed his body, including the Flamberge. With a smile, he spoke, "Thanks. I was wondering how I would hide my identity." Starlet and Siegfried looked at each other in confusion, but Ashton then said, "I promise we'll meet again. Goodbye Mother. Goodbye Father." The three then embraced each other in a group hug. After that, Ashton waved goodbye as he headed into the forest as he tried to get back to the path that connected Verdant and Slatis.

After a few hours of walking, Ashton emerged from the Viridian Forest and found himself at the rocky plains that surrounded Slatis. Unpleasant memories resurfaced of when he was forced to slaughter the hunters who wished to murder Cassandra. Although his name was known in Slatis, Ashton very seldom visited and the townspeople did not know his face very well. Gathering his fortitude, he pressed on.

Before long, Ashton felt his armor rattle and even began to clank against each part. "Another earthquake. What else is new?" Pulling the Flamberge out from under his cloak, Ashton thrust the blade into the ground and tightly gripped the hilt for balance. After a little more than twenty seconds, the shaking ceased. He then quickly concealed the Flamberge under his cloak and continued north. It did not take him long to reach Slatis. Due to frequent natural disasters, with earthquakes occurring the most often, the town had been forsaken by most people. Even so, the town produced many minerals and ores from the mountain range nearby and the townspeople even took advantage of the earthquakes as they would break away rock formations, revealing precious ore and even valuable gemstones.

Ashton wandering into town, a bit creeped out from the lack of activity. Although the town did not have the feel of a ghost town, there were fairly few buildings compared to Verdant. The buildings that stood in Slatis were composed of stone and built in such a way that made them all but immune to earthquakes. Ashton searched about for a short while as various townspeople headed for the nearby mountain range to reap the benefits of the recent earthquake. Soon, the viscount spotted an inn and made his way inside.

Ashton was a bit surprised to find that even the counter of the inn was made of stone. He then approached the innkeeper and asked, "Good day, sir. I'm searching for someone who has been wandering about while wearing azure armor. Have you heard anything about him?" The middle-aged man shrugged his shoulders, "Can't say I have. Sorry. This town doesn't get many visitors, especially during the colder seasons." Ashton nodded, "I see. Sorry for wasting your time." He then left the inn and headed east.

After walking east for an hour, Ashton found himself standing at the base of a vast mountain. "Oh, great. Mt. Moon. I completely forgot about this." Although Mt. Moon would eventually have a tunnel dug through it, such a thing did not exist at the time. Ashton groaned, "I was not counting on climbing a mountain." He quickly took a look around to see if anyone was nearby. Seeing that he was alone, Ashton removed his cloak and held it tightly in his arms. "Forget this. I'm going over it." Ashton then spread his rainbow wings and took to the air. The viscount soared higher into the air as he rose over the entire mountain. "Sure beats walking. Maybe I'll even drop by the Demon's Cape." Once Ashton was above the mountain, he flew northeast.

After bypassing the city of Celestica, Ashton set himself down after passing the twisted mess of vegetation that separated the southernmost part of the Demon's Cape from Celestica. Once he dismissed his wings, Ashton wrapped himself in his cloak and walked along the peninsula towards the former hideout of the Black Wing. Considering that it was located in a place outside the kingdom's control, it seemed like an ideal place for the Azure Knight to hide in.

After about two hours of walking, Ashton stood before the fortress where he dueled Lance. Despite the crushing blow from the giant Dragonite, the fortress still stood intact. But before entering, Ashton walked to the edge of the shoreline. For a moment, he only stared at the surface. But a few minutes later, he saw a pair of glowing white orbs in the dark depths of the ocean. They stayed in one place as if they were watching him. Knowing what they were, Ashton gave them a friendly wave. In response, the owner of the two glowing orbs let out a beautiful cry that sounded like the call of a whale. Ashton smiled, "Glad to see you're still doing well, my friend." The mighty Dragonite then swam along as Ashton headed back towards the fortress.

During the day, a decent amount of sunlight illuminated the interior of the fortress. Ashton was able to look about without the need of a torch. He gripped the hilt of the Flamberge as he looked about. "Soul Edge, come out and face me! I know you're here!" But there was no reply. Not even the sound of a metal boot clanking along the stone floors. Even so, Ashton kept his guard up as he headed upstairs. When he reached the sleeping quarters, he found some stone bricks from the ceiling had fallen due to the impact of the Dragonite's fist, but the ceiling still held. "Still no one here. That only leaves….." Ashton then made his way to the roof.

Ashton burst through the door that led out to the roof of the fortress and looked around frantically. But to his disappointment, there was no one there. "This is absurd. Of all places, I thought for sure that the Azure Knight was hiding out here!" Disgusted, Ashton made his way back to the sleeping quarters. A tad exhausted from his walking, Ashton removed his armor and set the Flamberge against the wall. He then fell upon one of the beds that had not been crushed by falling stones. "Guess I'll take a nap while I'm here." Ashton pulled his cloak over his body and steadily drifted off to sleep.

That evening as the sun began to set, Koga sighed as he relaxed in a chair in Ashton's bedroom. "I can't believe how lustful Ashton's servants are. I've had to use every ounce of my strength to keep standing!" The old shinobi groaned, "Ashton, I hope you can forgive me for going along with their desires." But just then, there was a knock at the door. "Come in." To Koga's dismay, Cassandra entered. "Ashton, I know you must be tired, but could you please give me a little….." She blushed as she let out a giggle. Koga sighed and stood up as he adjusted his belt buckle. "Very well. Come here."

Right about at that time, Ashton awoke from his nap. He let out a yawn as he sat up in bed. "What time is it?" He then proceeded to put his armor back on and wrapped his cloak around his body. After placing the Flamberge under his cloak, Ashton headed back up to the roof of the fortress. By now, the stars had become visible as the light of day faded away for the night.

Ashton sat down and leaned against the lighthouse tower that jutted up from the staircase. He began to think as a cool evening breeze blew along the roof. "OK. So the Azure Knight was not here. Where else could it be?" But a few minutes later, Ashton looked up as he felt a faint presence. He then watched as a black bird flew down to him and perched on his knee. It seemed to be a raven, but its eyes glowed a sinister red. Ashton watched with caution as the raven looked at him. But the bird soon reached its beak out to him with a rolled up piece of paper. "Hm? A note?" Ashton took the piece of paper from the raven and unfurled it. He then held it in one hand as he created a small orb of fire in his other hand to provide some extra light. But the piece of paper only had two words written on it. And the words shocked Ashton to his core. "How the hell did I overlook that?" Ashton dropped the note and stood up, forcing the raven to hop off his knee. Ashton looked down at the bird and growled, "Tell that freak I'm on my way." The raven then flew away as Ashton pulled his cloak off and spread his rainbow wings. Soon, he took to the air and flew southwest, leaving the note behind. Inscribed on the note were the words "Dead Forest".

Ashton soared through the night sky as quickly as he could, flying above Mt. Moon and landing at its base on the other side. After pulling his cloak back over him, Ashton focused his Chakra into his feet and took off running at high speed to the west. He ran along the border of Slatis and entered the Viridian Forest. But about halfway through, he came to a halt. "Wait a second….. This cloak will only get in the way." He then backtracked to his parent's cottage.

Upon reaching his old home, Ashton knocked on the door. A moment later, Siegfried answered the door. "Ashton? Back so soon?" The viscount nodded, "Just needed to drop something off." He quickly walked in and pulled off his cloak. He saw his mother sitting at the dinner table as she peeled potatoes. "Mother, thanks for this cloak. But I'm leaving it here." Starlet asked, "Why? Does it not keep the cold out?" Ashton shook his head, "Oh, it does its job well. It's just that it will only get in the way in a fight." Siegfried asked, "What do you mean?" He then faced his father, "I found it. The Azure Knight is lurking in the Dead Forest to the west."

Starlet stood up and walked over to her son and embraced him, "Ashton, don't die on us." He gently patted her on the back, "I promise, Mother. I'm going to come out of this in one piece." Siegfried then set his hand on Ashton's right pauldron, "I know you can pull this off, Ashton. Make us proud." Ashton gave his father a hug, "I shall." He then walked over to the door and turned to face his parents, "Have faith in me. I will survive this challenge." With that, the viscount ran out of his old home and back into the woods.

A few minutes later, Siegfried felt a hint of doubt pull at his conscience. Starlet could see that something was bothering her husband and asked, "Siegfried, is something troubling you?" The Gallade turned to his wife and replied, "Keep my meal warm, Starlet. I'm going to be a little late for dinner tonight." Starlet gasped, "You're not really thinking about going after that thing too, are you?" But the former gladiator grinned, "Not directly. I'm only going to back Ashton up. I want to be there to support my boy." Starlet then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, "You better not die on me out there." He flexed his arm, "You know what kind of fighter I am. I'll be back within the next hour!" The brave Gallade dashed outside the door and headed south towards Verdant.

Back at the Crimson estate, Cassandra continued to deep-throat Koga as her lust reached its peak. Koga groaned as his orgasm came hard, his warm sperm pouring into the Absol's mouth. But a few seconds later, Cassandra staggered back and gagged before coughing the semen up. Koga gulped, "Is something wrong?" After regaining her composure, the Absol glared at Koga, "Who are you?" Koga asked, "Who am I? Surely you jest." But Cassandra growled, "Don't lie to me! I've tasted Ashton's seed before and you are not him! His seed is sweet and a bit salty. Yours is terribly bitter!" She then crouched low to the ground as she prepared to pounce, "Who are you? And what have you done with Ashton?" Seeing that the gig was up, Koga sighed, "Fine, I'll tell you. But first, gather the other seven girls here. You all need to hear this." Cassandra slowly turned for the door, "Fine, but you better not go anywhere." She then ran down the hall. Koga sighed, "Ashton, I hope I was able to buy you enough time."

A few minutes later, all eight ladies stood in Ashton's bedroom. Chiara asked, "What's this talk of an imposter?" Koga replied, "As Cassandra claims, I am not Ashton." He then made a hand sign and was engulfed in a puff of white smoke. When the smoke cleared, all eight ladies stood aghast. Ruby gagged, "Master Koga?" But Laura then became blue in the face, "Wait….. If Koga was disguised as Ashton… That means I had…" Laura began to turn green in the face as the other seven also started to look ill. Zandria covered her mouth, "I'm gonna be sick….." Serenade clutched her stomach, "No kidding. I can't believe I made love to an old man….." But Koga grumbled, "Don't lose it now. Ashton's life may be in danger."

At this, all eight girls forgot about what they had done with Koga and stood at attention. Koga explained, "Yesterday, I agreed to help Ashton escape from here so he could hunt down Soul Edge. He disguised himself as me while I disguised myself as him." But Chiara cried, "No! Why would he leave us? That beast will kill him!" But Koga glared at them, "You are severely underestimating Ashton. I am confident that he has the means to bring down the Azure Knight." Aurora then spoke, "We must find him and stop him before it is too late!" Koga sighed, "I won't try to stop you. If you wish to find him, go." At that, the eight ladies dashed out of the manor and through the iron gates towards Green Mile. With the exception of Serenade, who was riding Aurora, they ran along the path at high speed in search of their lover.

Ashton had just passed through the west gate of Verdant and now found himself standing before the twisted trees of the Dead Forest. During the night, their mostly bare ghastly forms made the forest very intimidating for anyone who wished to pass through. But Ashton was feeling a truly horrific sensation as he stood before the path that passed through the forest. "This sense of malice….. It's here. The Azure Knight is here…" Ashton could not bring himself to step forward as his body froze. "This feel of bloodlust….. The sense of malice the Orochi was giving off was nothing compared to this! But I can't turn back now…" He then reached down and lifted his right leg and placed his foot forward. "Come on, Ashton… One step at a time…" After a significant amount of mental strain, Ashton forced himself into walking into the terrifying Dead Forest. "I must not fail… I cannot fail… Not this time…"

After walking for about half an hour, Ashton felt a terrible evil presence to his right. It was coming from the north, somewhere off the main path. As he made his way through the mutated trees, Ashton took the Flamberge into his right hand as cold sweat dripped from his pores. A short while later, a fiery glow began to shine through the trees as he approached the source. The more he walked, the brighter the glow became. Soon, Ashton stepped into a small clearing and breathed heavily as he tried to stop himself from fleeing in terror.

Standing before the Vulcan Warrior was not a knight, but a golem of sorts. The azure armor that covered its body almost looked as if it had been seared with flames at one time. As he expected, its right arm was heavily disfigured and large with only three fingers. Its feet seemed to be curved bars of metal instead of actual feet. A long horn of fiery orange crystal jutted from the creature's forehead as its eyes glowed a sinister red like a pair of embers. In its left hand was a large double-edged sword that was about the same size as the Flamberge, but it seemed to be made of dark crystal instead of metal. And near the base of the blade was an eye that stared about, a fiery glow emanating from it. But what frightened Ashton the most was the very center of its body. It seemed that the body was split in two at the waist with fangs jutting from each half. And between each half was a pulsing void that seemed to breathe the very darkness this creature had been born from.

The hulking monstrosity spoke with a distorted inhuman voice, "So you have come." Ashton tightly gripped the hilt of the Flamberge as he braced himself for what may become his final battle. The Azure Knight then spoke, "Yes, your soul is perfect. It is all I need." It then raised its massive right hand and curled it into a fist, "At long last, I will reach my true form! The day of the ascension of Soul Edge has arrived!" It then pointed its terrible blade at the viscount, "Now then, Vulcan Warrior, give it to me. GIVE ME YOUR SOUL!"


	27. Duel of Souls and Swords

Ashton's breathing became erratic as he stood before the Azure Knight. Cold sweat began to soak his skin as he tried to restrain himself from fleeing from his enemy. The monster nodded, "Yes. Good. You know that you should feel terror when in my presence." The Azure Knight then looked around, as if savoring the area he stood in. "Yes….. Brings back so many memories….. This forest still smells of blood…" Ashton gulped, "Memories? Are you saying you've been here before?" The Azure Knight replied, "Have you forgotten? Even you must know of what occurred here some time ago. A heartless butcher cornered by the two nations that border this forest." Ashton gasped, "That thing…..was YOU?" The Azure Knight laughed, "Yes. And it was not even all that long ago." Ashton shuddered, "You mean that it took place more than 300 years ago?" The Azure Knight shook its head, "No. That ill-fated day happened barely more than a single century ago."

Ashton took a step back, "But how? If you indeed met your end that day, then how are you still standing?" The Azure Knight replied, "Although my body was slain, my true form, this sword, remained untouched." Ashton looked at the accursed blade that the Azure Knight held in its left hand. But Ashton asked, "Wait… From what I read, Soul Edge finally met its end at the hands of the Kingdom of Wolfkrone in a distant land." The Azure Knight nodded, "Not exactly. All that wretch managed to do was slay my body and shatter my being. And for a time, about seventy years or so, my shattered remains sat atop that tower. Until he returned…" Ashton asked, "He? Who?" The Azure Knight replied, "The immortal who created a new body for me after my last host broke free from my control. He gathered my fragments and restored them into a whole sword. However, I lost much of my strength from being shattered and had reverted to my more primitive state. Many of my fragments had even been carried away on the wind and in the hands of adventurers who had wandered towards my resting place. He then crafted a new body for me and I rose again. However, he said that it was his final gift for me, claiming that I would eventually meet my ultimate doom. I eventually ended up here in the land of Rohta. I then began to seek out more souls to restore the power I lost after falling before the Kingdom of Wolfkrone. That is, until I met my end here, a little over a century ago."

Ashton asked again, "Tell me. If you did indeed perish here, how did you return?" The Azure Knight explained, "My body failed me after enough attacks got through to it. But my true self, this sword, was left intact. As a result, I lost very little strength. But by then, the kingdoms of Clavice and Rohta had become aware of what happens when someone grips my hilt. Taking great caution to avoid such a fate, they sent me to the Far East, where the shinobi skilled in mystical arts may be able to find a way to dismantle me for good." The Azure Knight then seemed to look down slightly, as if thinking of more to say. Ashton asked, "And then…?" The hulking monster continued, "For a time, I was kept under tight security and was not even revealed to the townspeople that resided in the city where the temple stood. Many shinobi of great wisdom researched me for any possible way to permanently destroy me. All I could do was watch them and wait for my time to come. Sooner or later, they may have found a way. But it was no easy feat as many decades went by without success. But just three years ago, I was saved."

Ashton gulped, "Saved? By who?" The Azure Knight chuckled, "Saved. By the very same cult you destroyed!" Ashton gasped, "Them? They were the ones who stole you?" The Azure Knight nodded, "Indeed. Even so, they were somewhat careless as they carried me away from my captors. One of them even grasped my hilt to drag me more easily. But I was curious of what they wanted to do with me, so I did nothing." The Azure Knight paused for a moment before speaking, "There was a frantic search as the shinobi of the land tried to locate me. But the nameless cult was clever and managed to avoid detection. They waited for the search to be called off before making their move. After a few weeks, the shinobi of the land called off the search as they could find no trace of me. They apparently assumed that someone had stolen me and later destroyed me."

Ashton asked, "So the very same cult Koga and I destroyed was the same one that stole you?" The Azure Knight replied, "The very same. Their leader used some sort of forbidden art to craft a new body for me that was familiar in form. Once I had taken control of it, I asked the cult what they wanted from me. As it turned out, they only wished to help me acquire my full strength and even claimed that they intended to give me a sacrifice. But during that time, I made my way back to the Far West to gather up more souls. But during the voyage in the belly of a merchant vessel, I pondered something that I had never thought of before." The Azure Knight then curled its massive right hand into a fist and trembled, "How did it happen again? I have claimed countless souls throughout the centuries! And countless times, I have fallen before warriors who wished to stop me! And countless times, my blade was shattered, reducing my strength drastically! And although the souls I have devoured remain trapped, the power I acquired from them was lost with each failure." The Azure Knight then raised its fist, "What was it that was causing me to fail in my search for perfection?" Ashton took a step back at Soul Edge's moment of frustration. The Azure Knight then calmed slightly, "I visited various cities and ancient tombs under the guise of a travelling frontiersman while hiding my azure armor. I searched for information regarding what might be preventing me from reaching my ultimate potential. And I found it." The Azure Knight then stomped its foot, "The reason behind my countless failures was due to my own self-indulgence!"

Ashton gulped, "Indulgence?" The Azure Knight grumbled, "There is nothing I enjoy more than the sight of my victims being torn asunder. And it was due to my lack of self-control that led to my many defeats. I discovered that when someone suffers a grave injury, the quality of the soul diminishes due to the trauma. And when the body is killed, the soul's power drops significantly. So you see, I was at fault for my own failures. I then tried to develop a way for me to extract the souls of my victims without killing them in order to preserve their quality." The Azure Knight then pointed at Ashton, "And my test subject was your own mentor." Ashton gasped, "Captain Lance?" The Azure Knight nodded, "He was gravely wounded, but his soul still had some fire left in it. And the experiment was a success. His soul became mine while his body lived on." But Ashton then asked, "Wait… Captain Lance died afterwards. How did he perish while the people of Verdant survived?" Soul Edge replied, "To be blunt, irony. As I said, I enjoy slaughtering my victims more than anything else. So once that man's soul became mine, I impaled him upon myself. However….." The Azure Knight seemed to sulk, "It was not the same. The body was lifeless. It did not scream in agony or writhe in pain. It showed no reaction at all. I cannot enjoy myself if the target does not show its pain or beg for mercy. That is why spared the people of Verdant. Because it would have been an unfulfilling waste of time. I will have to restrain myself until I have reached my ultimate goal." Ashton sweated a little, "As twisted as that logic is, I'm still grateful that you spared them."

The Azure Knight chuckled, "But speaking of Verdant, I am getting ahead of myself. As I said before, that nameless cult intended to summon a sacrifice. A being whose soul would provide me with enough power to reach my true potential. The soul of a true immortal." Ashton gasped, "The Yamata no Orochi? But I thought they summoned him out of worship!" The Azure Knight laughed, "Just a cover. I am certain even the Orochi itself was not aware that it had been summoned as fodder for me. Once I felt its unmatched soul return to this world, I made my way to the nearest harbor to return to claim my prize. But before I could even reach a vessel, I felt the Orochi's soul vanish!" The Azure Knight then angrily demanded, "Tell me! What did you do with the soul of the Orochi?" Ashton calmed down slightly and explained, "With the aid of the spirit of death, I sent the Orochi's soul to a place where no one from this world would be able to reach it. The soul of the Yamata no Orochi now resides within Oblivion."

The Azure Knight seemed to glare at Ashton for a moment, but then sighed, "I see. Even so, I did have a plan should the sacrifice not survive long enough for me to devour it. When I felt the Orochi's soul vanish from this realm, I called the fragments of myself back to me. Just like long ago." Ashton gulped, "Then…those metal fragments that I saw flying through the night sky the day after the Orochi's demise were….." Soul Edge replied, "They were the fragments of me that had scattered after my fall at the hands of Wolfkrone. And now, I have become whole again. What you see before you is actually my true complete form." Ashton gulped, "So this crystal blade and azure body is the result of all of Soul Edge's fragments reuniting?" The Azure Knight nodded, "Yes."

Ashton asked, "But why? If you are whole again, why do you still seek more souls?" Soul Edge explained, "I have once again become whole. But I still am not at full power. In order for my true form to emerge, I must drown myself in souls. I must seek out enough souls to bring what I am on the inside to the outside." Ashton shuddered, "You mean…..the apparition referred to as Inferno?" The Azure Knight shook its head, "No. Although the form known as Inferno is indeed powerful, it is not quite me at my strongest. I have taken on the form of Inferno several times throughout history, but it still is not my strongest." Ashton gulped at the thought of something more terrifying than the embodiment of hellfire. "If that isn't your goal, then what is?" The Azure Knight curled its right hand into a fist, "What I seek is a power that I have never reached before. A power that has always been nothing more than a prophecy up until now. But with my new means of extracting souls without damaging them, I now have a means of achieving that goal." It then let out a satisfied sigh, "The souls of the people of Verdant were much more invigorating without harming them. I have never felt so much power in one feast before. Especially the soul of that boy with the rapier." Ashton clutched the hilt of the Flamberge tightly, but his fear still held him back. But the Azure Knight added, "But that old man I left behind….. He told you about it, did he not?" Ashton asked, "You KNOWNINGLY left that baker alone? Why?" Soul Edge replied, "I wanted to insure that you would learn of me. I wanted you to seek me out. After all, what better delicacy than a soul that has been empowered by the Eternal Flame?"

Ashton gasped, "You know?" Soul Edge replied, "A soul that holds the power of reincarnation must be a truly delicious source of power for me. I would not be surprised if the quality of your soul has been strengthened at least a thousand fold. If I were to devour your soul, I would surely reach my ultimate state. The ultimate Nightmare! A Nightmare that no one can awaken from!" It then pointed at Ashton with its right hand, "Now then, Ashton, you know what to do. Give me your soul!" Ashton staggered back slightly, horrified by Soul Edge's demand. But the Azure Knight added, "Or if you prefer, I can leave you alone and go after your family instead. The children they carry in their wombs must surely have embers of the Eternal Flame as well."

Ashton's eyes went wide with horror at Soul Edge's threat. He could still vividly remember the dream he had several days ago, when he found the bloodied corpses of his eight lovers and their children. Tears pouring from his eyes, Ashton whispered, "Never….." The Azure Knight asked, "Hm? What did you say?" Ashton then firmly gripped the Flamberge in his hands, "I said….. Do not lay your hands on them!" The Vulcan Warrior glared at the Azure Knight as he found the courage he needed. Soul Edge asked, "What's this? Are you saying that you are not afraid to die?" Ashton nodded, "It's true. I am very much afraid of you, Soul Edge. But I fear what will happen to my loved ones more. The possibilities of what will happen if I flee are far more terrifying to me than facing you in battle." He then balanced the side of the Flamberge on his left arm as he growled, "I made a promise to Captain Lance. I will slay you here, Soul Edge." Soul Edge chuckled, "Fine. I do not wish to cause any harm to your soul, but if you wish to slay me, do not expect a painless death. Even if your soul loses some of its quality, I will simply have to find more souls to compensate." The Azure Knight then raised its right arm as it held its hellish sword at its side in its left hand, "Now, come! Show me the madness that lies within!"

Ashton let out a shout as he took a swing with the Flamberge. The blade was intercepted by the blade of Soul Edge. The two locked blades for a moment before they separated. Ashton began to swing the Flamberge around only to have Soul Edge counter each blow. Despite its bulky form, the Azure Knight was quite agile. But to Ashton's surprise, the Azure Knight lashed out with its giant right arm and landed a punch on Ashton's chest, knocking the wind out of him. As he buckled from the force of the impact, Ashton looked up to see the Azure Knight grab him by the neck with its massive right arm. It then raised him into the air before throwing him into a tree nearby. Ashton hit the frail dead tree so hard; he smashed right through it with splinters flying everywhere. After catching his breath, Ashton stood up and thrust the Flamberge's blade into the ground. (This is a monster that has taken the lives of thousands of people, if not millions. I can't afford to hold back. I must be willing to use everything at my disposal!) Ashton took a deep breath as he whispered, "Fire Style: Dragon Flame Bomb!" He then let loose with a powerful blast of fire from his mouth and continued to breathe a stream of flames at Soul Edge. But the hulking form of the Azure Knight stood where it was and took the attack head-on. After a few seconds, Ashton pressed into the attack, causing the flames to turn a bright white as the heat intensified. But after a moment, Soul Edge shouted, "How much longer are you going to toy with me?" Ashton, stunned by the lack of pain in the Azure Knight's voice, ceased the attack and waited for the flames to clear slightly. Standing in the middle of the burning forest was Soul Edge, completely unscathed as the flames burned around it. "Flames are useless against me. I command the fires of Hell." It then hunched forward slightly as it tightly gripped the cursed sword in its left hand. Ashton took the Flamberge in hand as he waited for an attack. But the fiery orange crystals that adorned the Azure Knight's body began to shine brightly. "Feel the true power of Soul Edge!" It then threw its head back while letting out an inhuman roar, a massive sphere of dust expanding as entire trees were uprooted and flames snuffed out. Ashton clutched his sword tightly as he was sent flying by the massive shockwave.

Having just arrived in Verdant, the eight ladies were a bit intimidated by the lack of life in the city. Ruby shuddered, "It doesn't feel right when it's this quiet…" Zandria patted the Lucario on the back, "Don't worry about it. Since no one's here, we don't have to worry about any ambushes." The eight ladies proceeded to the center of the city. They quickly looked around. Laura groaned, "Even though we're looking for Ashton, we don't even know where to start!" Laika then tried sniffing the ground for Ashton's scent. "He's been here. Quite recently too." Cassandra gasped, "Really? Which way did he go?" But before Laika could reply, she detected another scent. "Wait….. Someone's nearby." She then looked around before facing north. "Someone is approaching. The scent is familiar, but I'm not entirely certain of who it is." The other seven ladies gathered around the Mightyena to support her. But a minute later, Laika's ears twitched, "It sounds like it just drew a blade!" They then noticed a dark figure jump out from behind a large cart that was filled with hay. It then made a dash for them. Chiara growled, "I've got this one." A moment later, the figure froze, its feet bound to the ground. Chiara smirked, "Serenade, I'll hold it down. You go near and see if it's a threat." The Gardevoir nodded and approached the intruder. When she got close enough, she heard it complain, "What the devil is this? Why won't my legs move? Some sort of trap?" Serenade recognized the voice and came closer. "Father?" The figure replied, "That voice….. Serenade?"

The Gardevoir turned to face her sisters and shouted, "It's all right! It's just my father!" Laika nodded, "So that's why it seemed familiar to me." Chiara released her mental grip on the Gallade and approached them while Zandria ran over to a nearby wall to retrieve an unlit torch that hung off it. Using Flamethrower, she ignited it and ran over to the others. "Oh, Siegfried! Sorry about the rude welcome. We couldn't see too well in the dark and thought you were a bandit or something." The Gallade smiled, "Oh, that's quite all right. I honestly thought you girls were looters waiting in ambush." He then ran a few fingers along his daughter's belly. Serenade gasped, "Father! What are you doing?" Siegfried chuckled, "Just checking. I heard from Ashton that you're carrying my grandchild." Aurora gasped, "Ashton? You saw him?" He nodded, "Yes, he even spent the night with me and his mother yesterday. Hm?" Siegfried stopped caressing his daughter's belly. She asked, "Something wrong?" Siegfried smiled, "I can feel your child. There isn't much of a bulge yet, but I can feel a certain firmness." Serenade blushed, "Oh, Father…." He added, "Your mother is very proud of you, as am I. We are looking forward to meeting your children." Serenade giggled, "Yes, and I am glad I was able to keep my promise to her. There's no real way to describe the feeling of knowing that you are carrying new life inside you."

Ruby stepped forward and bowed, "Sir Siegfried? I don't think we've met. My name is Ruby." The Gallade turned to the Lucario and smiled, "You're right. We have not met in person before. And now that I think about it, you must be the little Lucario girl Ashton chose to be his bride." Ruby blushed, "Yes, he did. Ah?" She gasped to feel Siegfried caressing her swollen belly. "My word, you look as if you're on your sixth month. And to think each of you is carrying a child." Ruby giggled, "Actually, we Lucario only take two months to give birth to our pups." Siegfried chuckled, "Two months? No wonder you've grown so quickly compared to the others." Just then, Siegfried felt a powerful jolt hit his fingers. "Hm?" He held his hand still. A moment later, two more tremors were felt against his hand. He laughed, "Ha! It seems my grandchild is starting to like me already!"

After a moment more of catching up on lost time, Serenade gasped, "I forgot! Father, this isn't a good time! Tell us, where is Ashton?" Siegfried asked, "Why do you need to know?" Cassandra wept, "If we don't find him, he will die!" Siegfried laughed, "Die? As if! Ashton is by far the finest knight I have ever seen! What could possibly kill him aside from old age?" Zandria growled, "The Azure Knight, of course." Siegfried sighed, "That again? Ashton is most likely crossing swords with it as we speak."

Serenade gasped, "He found it? Where are they?" Siegfried replied, "Ashton stopped by on his way to slay the Azure Knight. He claimed that it resides within the Dead Forest. I have faith in my boy, but I also set out after him to provide support." Aurora asked, "The Dead Forest? Why there?" Just then, Laura spoke, "Wait….. Do you remember that legend Ashton told us a while back? When we went to visit his parents?" Zandria added, "You mean about a heartless butcher that met its end in the Dead Forest?" Chiara brought a hand to her chin, "Ashton once told me that legend. The way it wiped out entire armies and used a large sword….. Of course! It must've been the Azure Knight! What better place for a final showdown than where it last met its end?" Siegfried nodded, "Yes, that sounds about right. So, how about it? Are you girls going to help me support him?" Laura shrieked, "Are you kidding? We're gonna get him outta there! He can't kill the Azure Knight!" Siegfried scowled, "How dare you….. I cannot believe you would have such little faith in my son!"

The eight ladies cowered slightly at Siegfried's remark. "I know how you feel, and I am well aware of the power of Soul Edge. But I still have faith in Ashton. I know he can succeed." Serenade then spoke, "But…Father…" He barked, "Shut up and listen!" After Serenade had backed down, Siegfried growled, "That boy of mine has come much farther than I ever dreamed he would. He has surpassed me in almost every way. I know he can do this. He will slay the Azure Knight. He has made me proud, and he most certainly will not die without seeing his children born!" The eight ladies were silent with tears falling from their faces. Siegfried finished his lecture, "I'm going on ahead. If you wish to assist him, feel free to follow me." He then ran to the west as the eight ladies soon followed him.

Ashton dove out of the way as a tree fell towards him after being cleaved in two by Soul Edge. He then lunged at the Azure Knight and brought his blade down hard, forcing the hulking knight to block it with its own sword. But the design of the Flamberge's blade caused the Azure Knight's body to shudder with vibrations that caused its knees to buckle. Seeing that the Azure Knight had been thrown off balance, Ashton gave a sharp kick to its head before slamming the flat blade of his sword against its back, sending the Azure Knight falling forward. Ashton then raised his sword above him and brought it down hard into the Azure Knight. It let out a roar of pain, but countered by sending out a sphere of dark energy from its entire body, forcing Ashton to jump backwards. Ashton groaned, "This thing is a lot more durable than I imagined!"

Once the Azure Knight climbed to its feet, it shared a long stare with Ashton while clutching Soul Edge in its left hand. But after a moment, the Azure Knight looked towards the east. Ashton noticed and asked, "What? Something catch your eye?" Soul Edge replied, "More….. More souls are approaching us." Ashton asked, "More? Who is it?" The Azure Knight faced him and chuckled, "You know them quite well. Eight young maidens carrying new life inside them and a veteran warrior who raised you as a child." Ashton gasped, "Father? And them too?" He then groaned, "They must've seen through Master Koga's disguise. Are they really so blind that they would charge into a battlefield to take me home?" Soul Edge let out a sigh, "It does not matter. If you die and your soul proves to not be enough, I'm sure their souls can make up for the loss." Ashton screamed as he made a dash for the Azure Knight, "Keep your hands off them!" But the knight replied by sending one of its metal feet into Ashton's stomach, causing him to gag and drop his weapon as he clutched his belly with both arms. The Azure Knight then grabbed Ashton by his head and held him above the ground with its massive right hand. "Now your soul is mine!" The massive hand began to apply more pressure as it squeezed the head of its victim. Ashton yelled, "Stop it! Let me go!" A moment later, Ashton let out a terrible scream as the sound of bone cracking came from his skull. Soul Edge spoke, "It's over." A second later, there was a sickening sound as Ashton's head was crushed, his body hanging limply from the hand of the Azure Knight.

About ten minutes into the Dead Forest, Serenade shuddered, "This overwhelming presence of bloodlust….. The Azure Knight must be here!" Laura began to sweat in anticipation, "I know… It feels like we're not going to leave this place alive…" In desperation, the entire group moved through the frightening forest quickly to save time despite the threat of tripping over the mangled roots. Of course, Laura and Chiara were always airborne, so they did not need to worry. Even so, they had to be careful of low branches that may get in their way.

Ruby suddenly called out, "Wait a minute! Let's stop for a second!" Everyone came to a halt and looked at her. Ruby spoke, "Let me try to figure out where he is." She then began to focus as she searched for Ashton's Aura signature. A moment later, she gasped, "Is that…..the Azure Knight?" Aurora asked, "Did you find him?" Ruby shuddered, "That thing….. Its Aura is as red as blood… But…I can see Ashton. His Aura still seems strong." Cassandra breathed a sigh of relief, "So we're not too late…" But Ruby added, "But it's strange. It seems that Ashton is…..underneath him? Ugh, never mind! He's to the northwest!" The nine allies made their way off the main path and through the mangled trees that filled the Dead Forest.

The Azure Knight cackled, "Yes, now my time has arrived!" The eye of Soul Edge became enraptured as it watched Ashton's blood ooze down his lifeless body. Soul Edge then spoke, "Now then, give me your soul!" But after a moment of awkward silence, the Azure Knight grumbled, "What's taking so long? Where is his soul?" But just then, Ashton's body ignited and exploded outwards in a fantastic inferno of flames! The Azure Knight staggered backwards from the force of the blast. "What is this? Did he burst into flames as a safeguard to prevent me from taking his soul?" The Azure Knight let out a roar of anger as it shook its arms while shouting to the sky, "GRAAAHHH! I WAS SO CLOSE!" But just then, it felt something grab its heel. "What the…?" A moment later, something dragged the Azure Knight underground until only its head remained above ground. And standing before it was Ashton.

"Gotcha. Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu." Ashton said with a giddy smirk. The Azure Knight looked up at him, "But how? I killed you! How are you still living?" Ashton laughed, "I'm so glad you asked! What you killed was my latest creation. I call it the Fire Clone Jutsu. Basically, I create a physical copy of me that fights in my place. But should it die or suffer an injury, it bursts into flames, scorching my opponent! I guess that's not really a threat to you, but it did give me an opening." Ashton then raised his sword and gripped it in both hands, "Now I'll show you why that technique is called the Headhunter Jutsu." Ashton shouted, "Off with his head!" But when Ashton performed a low swing, the blade of Soul Edge shot up from the ground and blocked the swing!

Ashton grunted, "What the…? You shouldn't be able to move with all that earth encasing you!" Soul Edge growled, "You underestimate my strength. After devouring so many souls, my physical strength is unmatched!" At that moment, the massive right arm burst out of the ground and tried to grab Ashton, who jumped backwards to evade it. The Azure Knight then pulled itself out of the ground and shook the earth from its body. "You cur!" Ashton shouted as he charged Soul Edge. But just before Ashton reached it, the Azure Knight stepped sideways to evade the overhead swing. After Ashton's blade struck the ground, the Azure Knight grabbed Ashton by the back of his head and threw him to the ground while making sure he landed on his back. While Ashton felt the wind fly out of his lungs from the impact, the Azure Knight raised its massive right hand above Ashton and curled it into a fist. Before Ashton could react, the hulking beast slammed its fist into Ashton's gut, creating a slight crater underneath him from the force of the blow.

Ashton coughed up some blood as he felt some of his ribs crack from Soul Edge's attack. But just then, the Azure Knight looked to the southeast. "I suppose I can wait a while longer before feasting on your soul. It would seem that some appetizers have arrived." Ashton gagged, "No… They're here…?" The Azure Knight then turned around and faced the direction Ashton's lovers and father were approaching from. "Yes… Every little bit helps." But just then, Ashton spoke, "You just made the most amateur mistake possible, Soul Edge!" The Azure Knight grunted in surprise and began to turn to face Ashton. "Never turn your back on the enemy!" Before the Azure Knight could defend itself, Ashton brought his sword up with an upward swing, neatly cleaving its grotesque right arm from its body. As the disgusting claw fell to the ground, the Azure Knight let out a terrible shriek as it began to flail about. Ashton leapt backwards and collapsed from exhaustion as he tried to get out of reach from the wildly slashing blade of Soul Edge. As he watched, Ashton saw his father and eight lovers arrive. But they watched in shock and awe as the dreaded monster roared in agony. After a moment more, the Azure Knight raised its left arm into the air while holding Soul Edge high. As it twitched in shock, it fell backwards and hit the ground with a crash. As the Azure Knight became still, the eye at the base of Soul Edge's blade closed for the last time.

Ashton watched with a touch of disgust as a dark liquid oozed from the wound at the Azure Knight's shoulder. "Such horrid blood. So it DID transform this forest into what it is now." Siegfried then walked over to Ashton and smiled, "I have to say you surprised me, Ashton. I didn't think you could bring this thing down without my help." Ashton chuckled, "You only came to provide support? Sorry if I disappointed you, but the fun is over now." But he then looked over at the eight ladies that stood at the edge of the clearing. They were giving him looks that showed both pain and anger.

Chiara spoke first, "How could you, Ashton? How could you be willing to throw your life away and leave us all alone?" He only looked at them in silence. Ruby spoke next, "And to think you had Master Koga help you sneak off! How could you trick us like that? What about your children? How could you just leave them like that? What if you died? Would you be able to forgive yourself for abandoning them?" The other six ladies began to shout arguments in a jumbled mess, but Ashton finally could not take the one-sided thoughts of his lovers any longer and shouted, "SHUT UP!"

All eight of Ashton's lovers stood silently at his order. He glared at them, "Leave them alone? Abandon them? What about the rest of this world? Well? Would you honestly lock me up at home and do nothing as Soul Edge covered the world in flames?" All eight gave him a look of absolute embarrassment and fright. He then added, "Do you know something? Do you know what my mother, my father, and Master Koga have that each of you does not?" Siegfried looked over at them with a hint of disappointment. A moment of silence passed before Ashton shouted the answer. "FAITH!"

Ashton watched as his eight lovers began to shed tears of shame. But as he climbed to his feet, Ashton added, "Even so, I should be grateful that you arrived. When Soul Edge sensed you all coming, it turned its back on me. That gave me the opportunity I needed. And now look." Ashton walked over to the corpse of the Azure Knight. "It's over. The Azure Knight has fallen. At least…I THINK it has." He then playfully kicked the head of the Azure Knight a few times before tapping it with the side of the Flamberge. "Yep, looks dead to me." He then turned to his lovers, "Promise me this. If a crisis comes in the future, do not stop me from fighting it. I have too much to leave behind. And I will NEVER abandon a family that I risked my life to begin." The eight ladies ran over to him and crowded around him while sobbing. He wrapped his arms around them and smiled, "I will never leave you. I promise." Zandria sobbed, "And we'll never doubt you again. Right, girls?" The other seven nodded in unison.

After a tender moment, Ashton spoke, "OK, let go. It's gotten late and I think we should head home." Siegfried laughed, "And it would seem that I'll be getting home later than I claimed I would." Ashton laughed, "Oops! Better have a new diamond ring to tame the angry beast!" Serenade giggled as she heard her father and brother joke with each other. Ashton sighed, "All right then, time to find the path home. Let's head south. And give me some room here." The eight ladies stood aside from Ashton while Ruby stood behind him. With the Flamberge in hand, Ashton began to walk south.

However, as the family began to walk away, the eye at the base of Soul Edge's blade opened as the eyes of the Azure Knight began to shine brightly with rage. Ashton suddenly came to a stop at a sound. (No way….) He then slowly began to turn around while everyone but Ruby continued walking. But just before he could actually face the Azure Knight, it growled, "I…WILL have your soul…ONE WAY OR ANOTHER!" The Azure Knight then threw Soul Edge right at Ashton. With no time to intercept the blade, Ashton set his hand on Ruby's shoulder and threw her to the side to insure she would not be impaled as well. Ruby could only look on in horror and despair as her fiancé was about to be struck down in cold blood.

There was the sound of metal fracturing and flesh being cleaved as Siegfried and the other seven ladies turned and watched in absolute horror as Ashton was impaled through his breastplate by the cursed sword. The force of the impact had sent Ashton flying backwards, his facing showing great shock and pain as blood soaked the blade of Soul Edge on the other side of his body. His body hit the ground with a thud as his face seemed frozen and unfeeling. His eight lovers feared that he had died instantly.

The eight ladies screamed in horror as they ran to Ashton's side. Ruby whimpered, "No… Oh god, NO! You can't die on us! You promised!" As they mourned, the eye of Soul Edge began to glow a bright blue as it began to extract Ashton's soul from his body. Serenade tried to apply Recover to Ashton's wound, "Don't die….. I love you, brother… DON'T DIE!" But a second later, Ashton regained consciousness and coughed up a large amount of blood as he struggled to breathe. Cassandra ran over to him and wept, "Don't move… You're going to be all right… Just don't leave us…" But Zandria then spoke, "The sword… Maybe if I…" But as she reached for the hilt, Ashton screamed, "NO! DO NOT TOUCH THE HILT!" Zandria froze as she looked at Ashton in tears. "If you lay your hands upon the hilt of Soul Edge…..you will become…its next…..offering…" But Aurora cried, "But we must remove it! If we are to save you, that blade must be…" But she stopped as a hellish red glow began to emanate from the eye of Soul Edge.

The Azure Knight looked at its sword with surprise, "Hm? Could it be?" It then chuckled, "Amazing. Simply amazing." It then began to approach Ashton. But Siegfried extended his elbow blades and charged it. "Stay away from my boy!" But the Azure Knight lashed out with a punch with its left arm and sent the Gallade flopping over to the side. "Don't waste your breath. I have no intention of killing him now." The hulking monster then stood before the fallen viscount as the eight ladies glared at him with defiance. "Stand aside. There's no need to harm him further." The Azure Knight then planted one foot on Ashton's body while gripping the hilt of Soul Edge with its left hand. It then yanked the blade out of Ashton, prompting a shout of pain as he felt the burn of the wound.

Soul Edge spoke, "I am most grateful, Ashton. I never imagined that even with such a ghastly wound traumatizing your soul, I would only need to extract a mere portion of your soul." It then took a few steps back and looked around, "Yes… I am most grateful indeed. For today, the prophecy becomes reality." It then slowly raised Soul Edge high into the air, "At long last…..my full power has been reached. Yes….. I have been looking forward to this day…FOR TOO LONG!"

At that instant, the Azure Knight was engulfed in a veil of flames as it slowly began to levitate. All the while, it laughed in great satisfaction at its success. But a few moments later, its laughter began to change into beastly growls and roars as a pair of large wings seemed to emerge past the veil. They were composed of flames like Ashton's, but were a fiery orange.

Laura shuddered, "What in the world….." Chiara gasped, "It's happening… It's really happening…" Ashton weakly gasped, "Chiara…..you don't mean…..IT, do you?" The Lugia silently nodded in terror. But Laika asked, "And what is IT?" Chiara replied, "I found it in an ancient tome during my studies. I did not think much of it since I was skeptical of Soul Edge's existence… But now…" Ashton asked, "What did it say…?" Chiara whispered, almost as if to herself, "Destruction incarnate, unleashed from its shackles, now seeks to destroy existence…" Ashton shivered from loss of blood, "I see… I remember you showing me that… Only now…it is much more than a mere prophecy. It has become a dark fact…"

As the evil blade reached its true form and power, a veil of darkness began to descend upon the world. And a new age of terror had begun.


	28. The Angel's True Caliber

On the other side of the world in the Far East, a veil of darkness began to descend upon the towns and fields as the now midday sky became black as an eternal night began. As the evil sword Soul Edge reached its ultimate power, its own dark presence overshadowed the world as its twisted form became something out of a true nightmare. The Nightmare had ended, and the Night Terror had just begun.

Ashton could only stare up at the burning form of the Azure Knight as it underwent a horrific transformation after extracting a mere fragment of his soul after impaling him on the cursed sword itself. Now at maximum power, a feat that Soul Edge had never before achieved, it roared with inhuman ferocity as the evil sword's sentience began to boil down to pure destructive will. Once the laughter of the Azure Knight had been completely replaced with beastly growls, the burning mass dropped to the ground with a thunderous crash. Ashton, his father, and his eight lovers could only look on in sheer terror as the flames receded, revealing Soul Edge's ultimate form.

The purplish armor of the Azure Knight had disappeared and the strange void that held the two halves of its body together was nowhere to be seen. The being that stood before Ashton now seemed to be a living creature of flesh and blood instead of a monstrous golem. It was also somewhat larger than the Azure Knight and its hide was a dull crimson hue. A pair of large spikes jutted from its back above the spots where its wings were attached and a flap of thick hide rested against the sides of each upper leg like tassets. A slightly long segmented tail extended from its spine, a trait that was not present with the Azure Knight. Its feet lacked toes and both arms were large and ended with talons that had two sets of claws apart from each other. And in the palm of each talon was a gaping maw with fangs, but there did not seem to be any sign of a throat. But in its left talon rested a truly grotesque sword that seemed to be about twice as long and wide as the last one. The eye of Soul Edge had vanished from the sword and a long row of teeth lined the center of the blade from the base of the hilt to its very tip. A curved horn of sorts extended from the base of the hilt and looped under the talon that held it like a knuckle guard. The top edge of the sword was dull, but the opposite edge was clearly sharp as Soul Edge now seemed to be single-edged. But everyone could also see in the center of the monster's chest a molten core of orange flames that seemed to extend up the chest and down each arm, its veins glowing with unholy might. The head of the creature bore a slight resemblance to the head of the Azure Knight as a fairly long horn jutted from its forehead where the orange crystal spike used to be. However, its mouth could be seen in a small gap on the front, but it lacked lips as its teeth were constantly visible. And the beast's two eyes stared at its targets with a fiery yellow glow that lacked any intelligence beyond pure destructive will.

Siegfried crawled over to his fallen son and demanded, "Ashton, what the hell happened to it?" Ashton gagged as blood spurted from his mouth, "It would seem…..Soul Edge has reached its peak. It has reached maximum power, reaching a level that it has never achieved before." But Siegfried, with a tone of panic in his voice, spoke, "But is it the Azure Knight or not? You might call it the Azure Knight, but I don't see a speck of azure on it anymore!" Ashton then looked towards Chiara and asked, "Chiara… Do you know of anything else that may help identify that beast?" The Lugia shuddered, "There was a brief description alongside that prophecy… I remember it well…" She paused for a moment as she gazed at the horrifying body of Soul Edge. "The Nightmare will end. And only then, the never-ending Night Terror will begin." Ashton gagged, "Now that you mention it… Most reports of the Azure Knight have named it as Nightmare. So then this beast must be….." He then looked back towards the hulking abomination as it began to slowly approach him. "Night…Terror…"

As Night Terror approached its prey, Ashton pleaded, "Run! Leave me! I'll only slow you down!" But Ruby wept, "Never! We came here to bring you home, and that's what we'll do!" But Ashton replied, "Don't….. I won't survive this wound…" They all stared down at the absurd amount of blood that was pouring from the wound in his chest where he had been impaled upon Soul Edge. "I'm already as good as dead… Please…go. If you stay, it will kill you and our children." All eight of his lovers looked down at themselves, knowing that each of them contained at least one unborn child growing within their wombs. Before any of them could object, Ashton whispered, "I have a last request… Hide. Find a place where Soul Edge will never find you. Raise our children away from the fires of despair. And when they are old enough to understand….." A moment of silence passed before Ashton shed a single tear, "Tell my children…..that I love each and every one of them…"

All eight of Ashton's eight lovers were shedding tears as they listened to the love of their lives speak his final words. But as Night Terror drew near, Serenade gathered her courage and jumped in front of it with a hand raised. Siegfried gasped, "Serenade, don't!" But she cried, "Father, get my brother away from here! I'll hold it off!" She then focused her attention on Night Terror, "If you want my brother, you will have to get through me first!" But to their surprise, Night Terror stopped and merely stared at Serenade for a moment. But it then began to raise its demonic sword until the blade was partially pointing upwards on an angle. And then, something happened that made Serenade's skin crawl. The rows of teeth that lined the sides of the blade began to ripple as if there was something under them. Suddenly, the sword ripped open at the center to reveal a long narrow mouth as a slender tongue lashed about! The true form of Soul Edge was more than just a living sword. It was a living sword with an appetite!

Serenade's eyes began to quiver in horror as she looked into the maw of Soul Edge as the blade's two fanged halves joined at the very base of the hilt. It then seemed to lick its tongue over its teeth as if inspecting its meal. A moment later, the sword let out a horrible shriek as it decided that it was time to feast. And yet, Serenade could only look on, paralyzed with fright. But Ashton then screamed, "SERENADE!" At that instant, Serenade let out a scream and raised her hands as she projected a barrier around her. The jaws of Soul Edge clamped down hard around her, but were kept at bay by the psychic force as Serenade kept her eyes closed shut while whimpering in fear.

Chiara's eyes began to glow a faint blue as she glared at Night Terror. A second later, a Psychic blast sent the beast and its sword flying backwards. After that, she held one of her large hands open and pulled Serenade towards her at high speed until she landed in the Lugia's open palm. After setting the Gardevoir down, Chiara spoke, "Honor your brother's last wish. Don't throw your life away for nothing." The eight ladies looked down at their lover one last time to see him smile. Ashton then looked up at his father, "Father… I leave them to you." Siegfried did his best not to cry, and signaled for the ladies to follow him. But before they had even gone ten feet, they turned at the sound of Night Terror running towards them. For something that bulky, it was surprisingly swift.

Night Terror was about to run right into Ashton, but came to a stop just in front of him. It looked down at the viscount before looking back at the other nine. After a moment, Night Terror decided to go after the one that was closer and raised its sword as the jaws closed tightly. It then turned the sword around and held it in a reverse grip with the tip pointing down at Ashton. As they watched their lover about to be murdered, the eight ladies turned away in tears. They were desperate to help, but knew that any effort they made would be futile. Siegfried clenched his fists and shuddered, (Starlet, I could not save him…) But as Night Terror raised its talon a little higher for some momentum, it staggered back with a frightened shriek as a bright light shone forth from Ashton's wound!

Siegfried looked on as the terrifying monster seemed to be unable to approach Ashton. "Is it…afraid?" Ashton looked down at the wound in his torso as beautiful rays of bright blue light engulfed it. To his surprise, the pain was gone and he did not feel cold anymore. And at such close range, he could make out something sticking out of the deep gash. "Is…something there?" As he reached into the light with his right hand, his father and eight lovers came closer as they could see that Night Terror was not able to resist the light. Slowly, Ashton pulled something out of the wound. When he finally extracted whatever was lodged in his body, the light began to die down. When the shine receded, Ashton and everyone else present gazed in awe at what Ashton held in his hand.

"It's…beautiful…" Aurora said with a whisper. In Ashton's hand was a sword that had a hilt that was too short to be held with both hands. The entire thing was composed of a beautiful blue alloy. But at about 1/3 up the blade, the blade became two. The sword had two blades that were barely separated from each other. But just then, Zandria shouted, "Ashton, your wound!" Snapping back to his senses, Ashton looked down at his chest to find that the wound had vanished! That and even his armor had been restored! "This sword…healed me?" But Ruby asked, "What in the world is it?" However, as he gazed at the sword a moment longer, two words escaped Ashton's lips. "Soul Calibur."

Siegfried turned to his son and asked, "Wait… Did you say Soul CALIBUR?" Ashton nodded, "Yes… The words just popped into my head." But Chiara whispered, "Soul Calibur… The Sword of Salvation…" Laura asked, "You know about it?" The Lugia shook her head, "Hardly. Even though there is little information on Soul Edge, the amount of information on Soul Calibur makes Soul Edge seem like a household name!" Laika asked, "It's that mysterious?" The Lugia nodded, "Yes. From what I have managed to uncover, it would seem that Soul Calibur remains hidden from humanity. And it seems that it only reveals itself when Soul Edge's power reaches critical levels." Ashton grunted, "And Night Terror is as critical as it gets. Although it was a bit late this time. As it is now, I'm not sure if even Soul Calibur can match Soul Edge." But Ruby pointed out, "Even if Soul Calibur is weaker than it, Night Terror seems to be afraid of it. See?" The Lucario pointed at the hulking monster as it stood its ground about thirty paces from them. It had raised its right arm to try and shield its eyes from the rays of light being emitted by the spirit sword.

Serenade requested, "Ashton, we should leave. If Night Terror is frightened by Soul Calibur, then it should stay away from us. We can't win against it, so we should retreat." But Ashton slowly climbed to his feet, "Actually, I couldn't ask for a better opportunity." Chiara asked, "Opportunity? To do what?" Ashton smirked, "To destroy Soul Edge once and for all." Aurora gasped, "My lord, what are you saying?" Ashton explained, "I don't know. The knowledge just popped into my head the instant I took Soul Calibur into my hand. And this is a once in a lifetime chance." But Ruby pleaded, "Are you mad? You just said it yourself! Even Soul Calibur may not have the power to stand against Soul Edge now! Why try to fight it?" But Ashton replied, "True. Night Terror is undeniably Soul Edge at its absolute most powerful. However….. It is also at its most vulnerable." Laika asked, "Most…vulnerable?" Ashton then glared at Night Terror, "Should Night Terror fall, the souls that have been devoured by Soul Edge throughout the centuries will finally be released. And Soul Edge itself will forever cease to exist!" He then whispered, "Garyson….. Hold on just a little longer. I'll get you out of there soon."

Zandria extended her claws, "If that's the case, we'll back you up." But Ashton placed his spare hand on her shoulder, "No. All of you wait for me at the edge of the forest. I must face this beast alone." But Cassandra pleaded, "No, we can help! Even if Soul Edge devours our souls, our bodies will still be alive. That means our children will be unharmed as well. Once Night Terror has been slain, our souls will return to our bodies." Ashton grumbled, "Yes, that would be the case if Soul Edge devoured your souls. But that's impossible now." Laura shrieked, "What do you mean? If our souls are devoured, our bodies will still be fine!" Ashton replied, "True, but Soul Edge no longer has any interest in that! Now that it has reached its ultimate power, Soul Edge no longer needs to devour souls. All it seeks now is to destroy." He then gave his eight lovers a worried gaze, "If you attack, Night Terror WILL kill you. And if you die, our children will die with you. There will be nothing I can do to bring you back." He then smiled a little, "I promised all of you that I would never die and leave you behind. Now you must promise me that you will stay alive so our family will be born."

Siegfried spoke, "Ashton, I still have my doubts about this. Are you sure you can handle this monster?" Ashton sighed, "Soul Calibur appeared in my hand for a reason. It thinks that I am the best-suited for confronting Soul Edge. Have faith in me." The word 'faith' struck a spot in his eight lover's hearts. They all smiled as they gathered near him. "Hm? Something you want to say?" They each smiled and leaned towards him. Ruby whispered, "We have faith in you, Ashton. Don't let us down." Ashton sighed, "I won't. I will see you again shortly." They then backed away from him and began to head south. Ashton turned to Siegfried and nodded, "Father, I'm entrusting their safety to you." The Gallade smiled, "Got it. Make us proud, my boy." He then followed the eight ladies to the southeast towards the edge of the Dead Forest.

Ashton reached down and picked up the Flamberge in his right hand after placing Soul Calibur in his left. He then looked ahead at Night Terror, who was still standing its ground. He spoke, "This is it, Soul Edge. Live or die. Neither of us can exist for long while the other lives." He then closed his eyes as the Z-shaped scars under his eyes became bolder. Ashton then opened his eyes and glared at Night Terror, his eyes a fiery red. "Prepare yourself, Soul Edge! I'm giving this duel everything I've got!" At that instant, Soul Calibur began to shine brilliantly as it began to grow. After a moment, the shine dimmed somewhat, revealing a zweihander that was no shorter than the Flamberge. Near the hilt, a beautiful blue crystal orb shimmered with Soul Calibur's will. The blade was slightly wider than the Flamberge and just as thick. But unlike before, the blade was no longer composed of a blue metal. The entire sword, blade and hilt, was a beautiful translucent blue crystal. Ashton gazed down at Soul Calibur's true form. "It changed. This crystalline form… It is Soul Calibur's purest state." He then stretched as he bent backwards slightly. A pair of large wings composed of flames emerged from his back, shimmering with a rainbow of colors. "I am the Angel of the Eternal Flame. And like an angel from the heavens, I will smite the evil demons that wish to destroy this world. Brace yourself, Soul Edge! I vow to vanquish you!"

Ashton stood ready with dual zweihanders in hand, but Night Terror backed away slightly before letting out a growl. It then spread its flaming wings before leaping into the air. Despite its bulky form, Night Terror was quite graceful as it hovered in place. It then flew above the trees and soared to the northwest. Ashton frowned, "It fled? Does Soul Edge really fear Soul Calibur so?" Ashton then took to the air himself as his rainbow wings scattered embers with each flap. As he cleared the Dead Forest, Ashton shouted, "You won't get away from me!"

Despite the unnatural inky blackness of the night brought on by Soul Edge's unholy power, Ashton could very easily make out the form of Night Terror soaring through the air ahead of him due to its wings being made of fiery orange flames. It was also moving through the air at surprisingly high speed. Even so, Ashton had no intention of letting Soul Edge escape, so he took off in pursuit with his wings flapping in a steady rhythm.

Night Terror's bulky form made it less streamlined and slower as the air pressed against it. As Ashton gained on the nightmarish beast, Night Terror turned around while flying backwards and faced the viscount in the distance. Ashton soon noticed a strange yellowish glow near the creature's head. A few seconds later, a volley of lasers was launched in rapid succession at Ashton! But the Angel of the Eternal Flame did not flinch as he faced the onslaught and flew head-on into the fray. He held his wings straight and went into a glide as he flew between the lasers that nearly clipped his armor. One even shot past his ear. Night Terror seemed to be frightened by Ashton's will of iron and continued to flee from him.

After chasing Night Terror for a short while, Ashton felt that he had closed the gap between them enough. He locked his wings in place and made a wide swerve as he turned sideways. After working his way to Night Terror's right, Ashton held his two swords flat against his sides to minimize air resistance. "Let's try this. Sky Attack." As his speed increased, Ashton's body became enshrouded with flames until he took on an undeniably avian form. Night Terror soon heard a whistling of sorts and looked to its right, only to be nailed by the deadly strike a second later. A massive burst of flames erupted from the impact and Night Terror let out a roar as it fell from the sky. Ashton came out of his dive and hovered in place to check his bearings. Once he spotted Night Terror falling towards the earth, he went into a dive as he pursued Soul Edge once again.

After falling a good distance, Night Terror flapped its wings to right itself and hovered in place. At that moment, a bright yellow orb began to glow in front of its face. Ashton knew what was coming next. "Darn it! I'm falling too fast! Can't…evade…" But just before Night Terror could fire, Ashton noticed a sudden flicker of orange light somewhere near the ground. A few seconds later, a beam of orange energy was fired directly into Night Terror! The beast was taken by surprise, but seemed mostly unharmed as it fell to the ground with a thud. Ashton managed to come out of his dive in time to gently land. "Where did that attack come from?" A second later, a high-pitched cry replied to Ashton's question and something flew towards him. "A Dragonair…..? Wait….. Dimitri?"

The Dragonair flew over to Ashton and coiled around him before nuzzling his face. "How long has it been? So good to see you again, old friend. Wait a minute….. Just where am I?" Ashton glanced around, "Am I in the Dragon's Den? Just how far did I fly?" But he then glanced over to Night Terror and gagged as he saw it climb to its feet. "No way… Even a Hyper Beam didn't faze it!" When it glared over at Ashton, Dimitri lunged at it. "Dimitri, don't!" But when the Dragonair came within reach, the massive sword opened its jaws and took a snap at him.

Dimitri began to weave and twist his long slender body to evade the snapping jaws of Soul Edge. With each thrust, the jaws would snap shut sideways. But after a few dozen strikes, Dimitri slithered up Night Terror's arm and used Wrap to constrict its body. The monster squirmed a little, but could not move its arms very much. Ashton laughed, "Nice one! Now just hold it steady for a moment….. What?" Night Terror folded its wings forward as it hunkered slightly. Ashton knew what was coming and screamed, "Dimitri, let go! Get outta there!" But a second later, a massive dome of blue soul energy exploded out from Night Terror's body, sending the Dragonair flying. Ashton stood his ground as he waited for the dust to settle. He then spotted Dimitri a short distance away from him. Although bruised and burned slightly, he was alive. "That was close. With him being as tightly wound around Night Terror as he was, that explosion would've torn him apart."

Night Terror ran towards Dimitri with Soul Edge in its left hand. But before it could reach the wounded Dragonair, Ashton jumped in front of him and shouted, "Have you forgotten? I am your opponent, Soul Edge!" He then took a swing with Soul Calibur, sending the beast falling backwards with a slash to its shoulder. While Night Terror was stunned, Ashton turned to Dimitri and spoke, "You OK?" The Dragonair weakly replied with a quiet coo. Ashton smiled, "Thank you for trying. But I am the only one who can destroy this beast. If you try to aid me, you'll only…hm?" Ashton turned to face Night Terror as it let out an angry roar. He placed the Flamberge on his back and took Soul Calibur into both hands. As the monster made a dash at him, he shouted, "Don't interrupt us!" Ashton then plunged the crystal blade of Soul Calibur into the ground, sending a wave of crystals jutting out of the ground as they grew like weeds. The crystals quickly reached Night Terror and grew all over it, encrusting it like a layer of ice. The beast roared and growled as it struggled to break free. As the crystals began to crack, Ashton turned to Dimitri, "Get out of here. I will survive this fight, but you must promise me that you will stay away from that thing." The Dragonair weakly nodded before spreading his feathered ears. He then flew off to a safer region of the Dragon's Den.

Ashton took the Flamberge into his right hand again as Night Terror broke free from the crystals encrusting its body. But it did not attempt to flee, even though Ashton was holding Soul Calibur a little higher into the air to try and intimidate it. In fact, it seemed to be extremely defiant of the spirit sword. Ashton grumbled, "Looks like it's done running. I guess it's time to get serious." Night Terror then raised Soul Edge and performed a powerful horizontal swing. A fiery shockwave was flung at Ashton by the sheer force of the swing, knocking Ashton off his feet. "What the…? Where'd that come from?" But before he could recover from the blast, Night Terror was right up in Ashton's face. It then slammed Ashton in the chest with its massive right talon, causing the knight to drop to his knees while gasping. It felt as if someone had taken a swing at him with a blacksmith's hammer.

Ashton glanced up at Night Terror and gasped in horror as it held Soul Edge above him. A second later, it brought the blade down hard, impaling Ashton through the back. Night Terror then raised a talon to the sky and let out a roar. A second later, a bolt of unholy lightning struck the hilt of Soul Edge and was directed into Ashton's body. Once Night Terror removed the blade, Ashton was sure he was about to die. But he then noticed the crystal orb near Soul Calibur's hilt begin to shine. A few seconds later, Ashton felt the pain disappear and the blood stopped flowing. Even his armor seemed to have been repaired. "Did Soul Calibur…..heal me?" But Ashton then looked up and saw Night Terror once again preparing to impale him. "Not this time!" Ashton flapped his wings to get himself off the ground and above Night Terror, but the beast still plunged Soul Edge into the ground. When it struck the earth, a massive shockwave radiated in all directions. The earth was cracked and a sphere of demonic force blew Ashton skyward.

"What…the…hell…?" Ashton managed to shout as he was sent soaring into the air while facing upwards. Once he was able right himself, Ashton noticed that he was no longer holding his swords. He glanced downwards and saw Soul Calibur and the Flamberge falling. Ashton then held out his hands and sent a rope of flames out of each of his palms. The ropes then grabbed the two swords by their hilts. When the ropes of flames retracted back to Ashton's hands, he grabbed the swords as they came within reach. "Good. Now where is….." But before he could finish his sentence, Ashton froze as he felt Soul Edge's presence right behind him. "Touché." A second later, the monster split Ashton in two at the waist with a swift stroke of its sword. But the two halves of his body were suddenly engulfed in puffs of white smoke as many light blue crystals fell. A voice then spoke from behind Night Terror, "Thank goodness for Substitution." Ashton then began to hack and slash away at Night Terror from behind before bringing both swords down with an overhead swing, sending the unholy apparition plummeting to the ground below them.

Night Terror let out a grunt as it flapped its burning wings to stop its descent. Ashton grumbled, "Well that didn't work." But he then noticed the area around them. They were in the Dragon's Den. "If we stay here, the creatures that reside here may get caught in the crossfire." Ashton then laughed, "What's wrong, Soul Edge? Feeling a little TOO full of souls? Guess you should go on a diet for a while!" Night Terror let out a growl as it heard Ashton's insult. The viscount shouted, "If you think you're not overweight, prove it! Catch me if you can!" He then took off to the southeast back towards Rohta. Night Terror took the bait and began to pursue the fleeing knight at high speed. As they flew away, Dimitri gazed up at the glowing wings of Ashton. He offered a silent prayer for Ashton to survive this duel.

Ashton flapped his wings hard to remain ahead of Night Terror as they reentered Rohta's territory. He glanced over his shoulder to check his distance between Night Terror. "That thing is much faster than it looks. Won't be long before it catches up to me." But a few minutes after turning away from his pursuer, Ashton thought he heard a strange noise coming up behind him. "What is it up to this time?" But when Ashton looked over his shoulder, Night Terror was diving towards him while going into some sort of spin! "Oh sh…" Ashton was cut off as the beast drilled into his backside as it began to bulldoze the viscount across the black sky.

Ashton was finally released from the attack as they flew over the Dead Forest once again. Ashton went into a fall for a moment as he reeled from the blow, but caught his breath and flapped his wings to right himself. "This has gone on long enough!" He then turned to Night Terror and flew at him with both swords in hand, but the beast swung its own sword at him to repel him. Ashton kept swinging both swords to try and reach the beast, but Night Terror was much quicker than he and Soul Edge would even snap at Ashton with its fangs. After a moment, Night Terror unleashed a sphere of soul energy from around its body, blowing Ashton a good distance away. "Whoa! Didn't expect that!" Ashton then hovered in place as he kept his distance.

"What does it take? Flames have no affect and my weapons are too short! That sword is twice as long as my own! I can't strike it if it can reach me first! Think, Ashton….. There must be some way…" Just then, he recalled the moment when he was about to duel Night Terror. He remembered when Soul Calibur grew from a small singlehanded sword into a massive zweihander. "It grew….. Then perhaps….." Ashton then adjusted his grip on the Flamberge until he was holding it in a reverse grip. "Soul Calibur, please…" Ashton then joined the two swords at the tip of their hilts. A second later, the crystalline hilt of Soul Calibur began to creep over the hilt of the Flamberge until they were firmly fused together. Ashton held the new weapon out from him to examine it. His two zweihanders had fused into a single colossal double-bladed weapon. "A sword of flames and a sword of souls… Soulfire…" Ashton then glared ahead at Night Terror, "My weapon is now twice as long as before. Stop me if you can!" He then flew towards Night Terror with his new weapon in one hand.

Once Ashton was about to reach the beast, he grabbed the hilt of the Soulfire with both hands and took a swing at Night Terror with the half that was Soul Calibur. To counter this, Night Terror struck the blade with Soul Edge. But once the blades met, Ashton followed up by directing the half that was the Flamberge into the side of Night Terror. The beast shrieked in pain as the heavy blade sank into its flesh. "This is just what I needed!" Ashton then began to spin and twirl the massive weapon as Night Terror struggled to fend off the attacks. But while it was busy dealing with both blades, it had no time to attack Ashton. But it finally had an idea and made the jaws of Soul Edge open wide and grabbed the blade of the Flamberge with its teeth. As Ashton struggled to pull free, the beast gave a sharp yank, breaking the sword from Soul Calibur's crystal hilt. Night Terror then punched Ashton with its spare talon, sending the knight flying away from it. It then took a swing with Soul Edge and released the Flamberge mid-swing, sending it soaring towards Ashton. He was only barely able to evade his own sword as it slashed by his face, leaving a deep scratch in his cheek.

Ashton looked around frantically for his sword. "Where is it? Where did it go?" But after a moment, Ashton yelled, "I lost it! How dare he? That sword was a custom!" But he then remembered to never take his eyes off the enemy and turned to face Night Terror. But his face turned pale as volleys of yellow rays of light were fired from Night Terror's eyes and mouth. The rays of evil light shot through Ashton's body, making it feel as if his own body was burning from the inside. Once the rays had run their course, Night Terror flew right up to the suffering knight and slammed the side of Soul Edge into his face, sending the knight falling towards the border of the Dead Forest.

Ashton braced himself for impact as he fell towards the ground. But just before he could collide with the earth, Ashton felt himself suddenly stop. "What? Am I floating?" A second later, someone grabbed his hand and helped him to his feet. Ashton recognized the large feathered hand immediately. "Chiara?" He found himself surrounded by his eight lovers and his father. Siegfried asked, "So, how goes it? Did you manage to bring that beast down?" Ashton groaned, "Not yet. That thing keeps repelling everything I throw at it. At this rate, Night Terror just may turn out to be a true immortal." But Laura then shrieked, "What is that? What kind of sword are you holding?" Ashton looked down at his large crystal sword and smiled, "Oh, this? It's Soul Calibur. Apparently this is its true form." But Serenade asked, "But it doesn't even look as though it's made of metal anymore. It looks more like some kind of crystal." Ashton shook his head, "Don't ask me how it changed form, all right? I'm not a sage."

Ashton then looked to the western sky and could see the flaming wings of Night Terror as it hovered in place, waiting for him to return and continue the duel. "I can't retreat now. I need to see this through to the end." Ashton brought Soul Calibur to his right hand and took a deep breath. Ruby then grabbed his empty left hand and gave him a pleading gaze. "Come back in one piece." He smiled, "I will never abandon any of you." Siegfried then gave his son a pat on the back, "Go get em, my boy." Ashton nodded before spreading his wings wide, "Don't worry. I won't be long this time." He then soared towards Night Terror with Soul Calibur shining with holy energy. "This is it. I'm going to end this with one blow."

Night Terror could see its prey returning to continue the fight. But it soon noticed a slight change in Ashton's approach. He was not intending to continue the fight. He was going to end it here. Night Terror grunted as it accepted Ashton's challenge and swooped towards the knight with Soul Edge in its left talon. After a brief charge, Night Terror and Ashton neared the space above the very center of the Dead Forest. Ashton raised Soul Calibur with his right hand while Night Terror did the same with Soul Edge in its left talon. The two foes then thrust their swords forward as they aimed to settle this duel for good.

When the tips of the two soul swords collided, there was a massive shockwave as the two combatants tried to overpower each other. Fiery red unholy energy flared past Night Terror while bluish holy energy billowed past Ashton. The very air seemed to quiver with tension as the two legendary powers grappled to overcome their other half.

Ashton grunted as he felt Soul Edge's unholy might bearing down on him. Even with the power of the Eternal Flame backing Soul Calibur, Soul Edge's strength still surpassed him. "No… I can't die yet….. Not like this….." He then pleaded in his soul, (Please… Someone. ANYONE. I need more strength. If I fall, Soul Edge will reduce the world to ashes. Please. I don't want my children to live in a world of hellfire without ever knowing their father!)

Night Terror growled in satisfaction as Ashton was pushed to his limit. Soon, the Angel of the Eternal Flame would fall. And then the rest of the world would be become like a lamb to the slaughter. But just when it seemed Soul Calibur was about to shatter under Soul Edge's power, a shimmering blue glow engulfed Ashton. It was not the doing of Soul Calibur. And it was not a glimmer of the Eternal Flame. It was his Aura! Ashton let out a roar as he pressed into the strike. Cracking sounds could be heard as Soul Edge began to strain under the power of this almighty power. Then, the tip of Soul Edge shattered as the fragments were reduced to dust. The rest of the sword soon followed as Soul Calibur burrowed through it. As Soul Calibur was about to be run through its body, a flicker of intelligence returned to Soul Edge's mind. (Impossible! This boy… This lowly human….is a descendant of the Hero of the Wave?)

Ashton gave every ounce of strength he had as he shot past Night Terror, plunging Soul Calibur into the molten core on its chest. As he came to a stop and turned around while hovering, Ashton could feel his strength wavering. "That's it. If that didn't do it….." But Night Terror seemed to merely float in place as if time had come to a halt. But a moment later, a beam of holy energy ruptured out of its burly right shoulder! Soul Edge came to its senses as Soul Calibur's holy power began to tear Night Terror apart from the inside. More and more bursts of holy light exploded from the evil beast. But as its existence came to its final moment, Night Terror suddenly cast its gaze to the edge of the Dead Forest as it looked upon Ashton's eight lovers. Its eyes shook as it scanned them, but it soon locked eyes with Zandria for a split second before it was consumed with agony. And a moment later, Night Terror let out a deafening roar as a mighty flash of holy light exploded out of the unholy monster. When the light receded, the form of Night Terror collapsed into countless bright blue wisps of light as Soul Edge vanished from the world for the final time.

Ashton dropped into the Dead Forest below as his wings of rainbow flames dispersed into many embers. He landed with a thud as he gasped for breath. But as he looked to the sky, Ashton noticed something odd about the many blue lights that filled the black sky. There were far too many to count. As the stars and clouds returned to the night sky, most of the lights ascended above the clouds while many others descended into the earth. And a fairly large number, a few hundred at most, flew across the sky to the south. Ashton gasped, "Those must've been the souls that Soul Edge had devoured throughout the ages." He then smiled, "Head on home, Garyson. I'll see you tomorrow." He then climbed to his feet and made his way east.

After emerging from the Dead Forest, Ashton glanced around. "Wait, did I come out too far off the main path?" He then heard someone call his name from the south. He then noticed his father and eight lovers running towards him. "Um…slow down for a minute. I'm not in the best shape." They then came to a stop before him, but Siegfried asked, "Ashton, are you OK? Nothing broken?" Ashton sighed, "I'll live. But it's over now. Soul Edge is gone forever. And did you happen to see those lights flying south?" Aurora asked, "Those? Do you suppose those were the souls of Verdant's population?" Ashton nodded, "Most likely." But Cassandra then asked, "But what are you going to do with your new sword?" Ashton only then noticed that Soul Calibur was still in his hand.

Ashton raised Soul Calibur and held it in both hands. "Why is it still here?" Chiara asked, "Why? Was it supposed to vanish?" Ashton explained, "Soul Calibur was created for the sole purpose of destroying Soul Edge. But now that Soul Edge no longer exists, why does Soul Calibur remain?" But just then, the blade of Soul Calibur began to lean towards Ashton. He tried to restrain it, but the side of the crystal blade soon rested against his shoulder. Just then, a beautiful voice spoke, "Please, young master…" Everyone present froze. The voice seemed to come from everywhere. Laika growled, "Who goes there?" The voice spoke again, "Do not be afraid. I reside in your master's hands." Ashton gasped, "You are…Soul Calibur?" The spirit sword replied, "Yes. Though I am not a living sword like Soul Edge, I too have a soul of my own."

Zandria smirked, "Judging by that voice, Soul Calibur must be a real beauty of a woman. I wouldn't be surprised if she has the hots for you, Ashton." The viscount grumbled, "Zandria….." But Soul Calibur spoke, "Please, young master. Listen to me." Ashton looked down at the shining crystal orb near the sword's hilt. The spirit sword spoke, "Soul Edge has been destroyed for the final time. My purpose has been fulfilled. I no longer have a reason to exist. However….." Soul Calibur paused for a moment, but then went on, "As you dueled Soul Edge, I was able to see into your soul while you held me in your hand. And as I viewed your past, I began to feel something that I had never experienced before." Ashton asked, "And what was it?" Soul Calibur explained, "I am not certain. But I believe you living creatures call it 'love'." Ashton blushed, "Excuse me?" Soul Calibur explained, "I felt a type of calmness I had never felt before as I rested in your hand. I felt a need. A desire to protect you." Soul Calibur then pleaded, "Young master, please. Allow me to remain by your side. To be at your beck and call whenever danger arises." Ashton remained silent for a moment, but soon smiled, "I would be honored to have you in my company, Soul Calibur." The sword then began to shrink. "I thank you for your hospitality, young master. But for now….I wish to...sleep…" When Soul Calibur's beautiful voice ceased, the spirit sword had returned to its smaller metallic form. Ashton held it in one hand, "I better remember to get a sheath for this."

Ashton tried to walk forward, but stumbled and dropped to one knee. "Oops. Looks like that duel took more out of me than I expected." Aurora then stepped forward, "Allow me, Ashton. I can carry you for the time being." But as Chiara levitated Ashton up to the Suicune, he objected, "Aurora, I don't think that is a good idea. You are with child. Are you sure the extra weight will not bother you?" She smiled, "Ashton, I am stronger than I appear. And I am sure our child would not mind her father riding her mother for a short while." Ashton could only smile as he laid face down on the Suicune. "If you insist. Oh, and Father? Could you hold this for now?" He handed Soul Calibur to the Gallade. Siegfried took it in hand, "Absolutely. Just let me know where you want it when we get home." But as the group began to head east, they stopped at a strange presence. Serenade asked, "Did you hear that?" They all turned around and gazed in awe at what was happening to the Dead Forest. The bare twisted trees began to thicken and straighten. The branches began to grow leaves and flowers. Soon, the entire Dead Forest was abounding with new life. Ashton muttered, "The disappearance of Soul Edge undid the effects its blood caused. The forest has been…..reborn." After admiring the new forest, the group turned and continued east. From that day forward, the Dead Forest was renamed the Forest of Rebirth.

When the entourage came within view of Verdant, Ruby pointed, "What's that over there?" A little ways off to the right was a large sword with its blade stuck in the earth. Ashton breathed a sigh of relief, "So that's where it ended up. I was worried that the Flamberge was gone for good. Ruby, could you please retrieve it?" But Zandria barked, "Ashton, shame on you! Asking a pregnant girl to carry such a heavy object?" But the Lucario objected, "It's no trouble at all! Just watch." She then ran over to the sword and yanked it out of the ground. She carried it over her shoulder, "See? We Lucario may be a bit small, but we have a lot of power in our bodies." Zandria grunted, "Huh. I stand corrected."

When they reached the center of Verdant, Siegfried stopped and spoke, "Hold on a moment. It's very late. It'll take you hours to return to Green Mile, so why not stay at my place tonight?" But Serenade asked, "Father, are there enough guest rooms for everyone?" Siegfried looked them over, "There are seven guest rooms while you and Ashton's rooms are still there. So there should be just enough." Ashton nodded, "I'm all for it. The sooner I can get to bed, the better." Siegfried smiled, "Good to hear. Now, it's quite dark in the Viridian Forest at this time, so stay close." The Gallade then led his family to the north.

After trekking through the Viridian Forest for about twenty minutes or so, Siegfried stopped. "Ah yes, right this way." He then led them through the underbrush until they stood in a clearing where a modest cottage stood. Ruby asked, "Where are we?" Ashton replied, "This is where I lived until I turned thirteen years of age." Ruby smiled, "It's a very cute cottage." Serenade giggled, "I'm glad you think so, Ruby. Allow me to introduce you." She and Siegfried led the others to the front door and inside.

Siegfried spoke, "Starlet, I know I was out later than I claimed I'd be, but I hope you can forgive me." At this, a Gardevoir walked into view with a slightly annoyed expression on her face. "I should say so. Your dinner has gone cold. Oh?" She then noticed the guests behind him. "So many guests! And…oh my! Ashton?" She ran over to her son and helped him to the floor. "Are you all right? What happened?" The knight wheezed, "Soul Edge….. Gave me one hell of a fight…" Starlet threw her arms around her son, "I feared the worst. But at least you're not gravely wounded." She then took a step back and noticed the Lucario standing near him. "Oh? I don't recognize you. What is your name, dear?" The Lucario bowed, "My name is Ruby. And you must be Lady Starlet." The Gardevoir smiled, "I am. And you must be my son's fiancé. And I see my grandchild is growing well." She ran her hand along Ruby's swollen belly. Ruby blushed, "Yes, it is. I should be due in a few weeks." Ashton then groaned, "Forgive me for butting in, but I really need to sit down." Starlet giggled, "I can imagine. Siegfried, please show our guests to their rooms." The Gallade nodded, "Will do. Ladies, this way please." He then led the seven girls to the stairs leading underground while Serenade headed towards her own bedroom. Starlet turned to Ashton, "I'll get a warm bath ready for you, dear. Just wait here for a little while."

A short while later, most of Ashton's lovers had drifted off to sleep while Ashton washed up in the bathroom of his home. Siegfried and Starlet were sitting in the dining room while sipping some tea. Siegfried soon noticed Starlet's forlorn expression and asked, "Something on your mind, dear?" Starlet simply sighed and said nothing. Siegfried recognized this behavior and asked, "You pining for Ashton again?" The Gardevoir silently nodded. The Gallade was not surprised. Although they were a very happy couple, Starlet's love for her adopted son could not escape Siegfried's notice.

Siegfried sighed, "Are you really so in love with him?" Starlet quietly nodded, "Do not get me wrong. You are the one true love of my life. But Ashton is very close to that point as well. I cannot describe it. I am…..drawn to him. I have always desired him along with you." Siegfried brought a hand to his chin, "I can see why. Ashton is very popular with the ladies, even when he tries not to be. I mean look at him. He has not one or two, but eight lovely ladies all over him, including his own sister. I'm not surprised you would feel at least some desire for him." Starlet sighed, "I cannot help it. I want him so badly, I could die. And yet, I know it will never be." But Siegfried laughed, "Oh what the hell, I say go for it."

Starlet glanced ahead at her husband, "Go for it? What are you saying?" Siegfried smiled, "Ashton has eight separate women falling for him. And they are all pregnant with his children. I have also noticed that they are not the least bit jealous of each other. That can only mean that he treats them equally without picking favorites. So if he can handle eight, why not nine?" Starlet nearly choked on her tea as she heard Siegfried's analysis. She asked, "But…..he is your son! Are you really not against this?" Siegfried nodded, "If he was indeed my own flesh and blood, I would likely be against it. Incest does come with risks. However, Ashton has no blood ties with us, so there is no risk to speak of." But Starlet slowly brought a hand to her belly, "But it's not just that. I also wish to bear his child." Siegfried smiled, "I'm not surprised. You always did enjoy your fertility. If you want another child, I won't stop you. But if Ashton refuses, please honor his decision." Starlet was silent for a moment, but then gave her husband a loving gaze, "Siegfried, I am the luckiest woman in the land to have found you as a husband." The Gallade blushed, "Oh please, I just want you to be happy."

After wrapping himself in a robe, Ashton made his way downstairs to check on his seven lovers before going to bed. The warm bath had soothed his sore body quite nicely. When he made his way downstairs, Ashton found that each of them was asleep. He then made his way back upstairs and to his bedroom. He then slipped into some clean undergarments and climbed in bed. But after no more than a minute, he heard a knock at the door. He turned and saw his mother standing in the doorway with a lit candle in hand. "Mother?" The Gardevoir smiled, "Did that bath make you feel better?" Ashton nodded, "Yes. My aching muscles feel much less sore now."

Starlet closed and locked the door before placing the candle on a desk. She then took a seat on his bed. "You look even more like a man now." Ashton chuckled, "That's probably because I just returned from battle." But Starlet then smiled, "All right, I just can't wait any longer. Let's get started, shall we?" Before Ashton could reply, Starlet's flowing white dress began to shimmer. A moment later, it disappeared. Starlet now sat before Ashton with her bare white flesh exposed. "Are you ready?"

Ashton gulped, "Again? Mother, I do not believe this is a good idea. What if Father learns of this?" But Starlet giggled, "Oh, he already knows. And he has given me his consent." Ashton gulped, "He…knows? And he has nothing against it?" Starlet explained, "He knows how you manage eight lovers at one time without choosing favorites. He felt there was no harm in adding a ninth. And it's not just that." Starlet then crawled over to Ashton and gave him a most beautiful gaze. "Ashton, I want to bear your child."

Ashton began to sweat profusely at what his mother just asked of him. "Mother….. You can't be serious…" But the Gardevoir tenderly caressed his face, "It is not true incest. You and I have no blood ties. There is no risk." She then leaned forward and embraced him while pressing her milk-swollen breasts against his chest. "Please, my dear Ashton." But Ashton replied, "Not only does this feel wrong, but it is also not the right time. We did this just last night and you were not very fertile then." But Starlet giggled, "True, I was not fertile then. But today is the start of my period. If you were to make love with me tonight, there is no doubt in my mind that I would become pregnant." Ashton sighed, "I give up. I just can't resist someone as beautiful as you, Mother." The Gardevoir smiled, "That's what I want to hear. Now make me a mother all over again, Ashton."

Ashton and Starlet joined lips as they pressed into a most passionate kiss. It became noisy and messy as time passed and they soon broke the kiss with deep blushes on their faces. Starlet then pulled the covers back and then stripped Ashton of his robe and undergarments. "Go easy on me, Mother. I'm still feeling a tad tired from that duel." Starlet nodded and gently cupped his testicles with her hands. She tenderly caressed the two orbs that would plant new life in her womb. Ashton shuddered at the gentle touch of his mother as his erection steadily grew. Before long, his manhood stood ready. Starlet smiled as she anticipated her imminent impregnation.

Starlet crawled over to Ashton as he sat up and kneeled over his member. She placed her hands on his shoulders as she positioned her womanhood just above his erect manhood. They shared a silent gaze as Ashton gently gripped his mother's sides. She then lowered herself onto him, gasping as she felt his warm flesh enter her. "Oh yes….. Just like before." Ashton began to gently thrust into her as they made love a second time.

Starlet threw her arms around Ashton and folded her legs across his lower back. She gasped with each thrust he gave her, making her shudder in pleasure. He then began to suckle her breasts as her nipples began to leak milk. "I'm producing so much milk… That proves just how fertile I am." Ashton drank greedily from his mother's breast as if he were a newborn himself. Starlet sighed, "That's right. Drink up. Drink as much of your mother's milk as you wish."

Ashton could feel his orgasm building rather quickly. Starlet could also feel her orgasm coming on, although not quite as quickly as Ashton's. When she felt his member beginning to throb, she became excited at the thought of becoming pregnant once again. "Yes! Any minute now. I'm going to have another baby!" Ashton groaned as his orgasm reached the brink, but he suddenly felt himself unable to release his sperm. "Huh? What is…?" He then noticed that his mother's eyes were glowing a faint blue. "Mother? What are you…?" She smirked, "Not so fast. Don't go ahead without me." He continued to thrust into her, but the pressure continued to build as he tried to let his orgasm loose. Soon, Ashton groaned, "Mother, please! It's starting to hurt!" But just then, Starlet gasped, "Right, let it out! I'm coming soon too!" As soon as she released her mental grip on Ashton's member, Starlet sighed as her inner walls clamped down hard onto Ashton's member. The viscount groaned loudly as his excess buildup of sperm exploded into his mother's womb. She shuddered, "My god, I can't believe how forcefully you're spraying into me!" But once the orgasm subsided, Ashton fell backwards and collapsed upon his bed.

Ashton breathed lightly as drool oozed from his mouth. (I can't believe it… I just impregnated my own mother…) Starlet leaned forward and kissed her son on the cheek. "Ashton… Thank you. I have always wanted to have a child with you, and now that dream has come true." She then tenderly caressed her belly, knowing that Ashton's sperm was well on its way to her womb to fertilize her waiting egg. Ashton gazed up at his mother, unable to believe how much more beautiful she looked now that she would soon be carrying new life inside her. "Mother, I will always view you as my parent. But I will also view your child as my own." He then leaned forward and planted a kiss on her slim belly. Starlet blushed. "I love you, Ashton." He then sat up and embraced her, "I love you too, Mother." Starlet shed a tear of bliss as she embraced her beloved son. They then rested side-by-side as Ashton pulled the covers over them. Starlet whispered, "I just hope Serenade does not mind having a half-sister." Ashton smirked, "Don't get ahead of yourself. We don't know if it will be a girl yet." The two lovers quietly giggled together as they drifted off to sleep.


	29. A Dream Realized

Ashton stood just outside the cottage as he waited for his eight lovers to join him. It was around noon as they had just finished lunch and Ashton was dressed in his armor with the Flamberge on his back. He looked up at the sky through the trees. He could almost feel the many souls thanking him after they had been released from Soul Edge after Night Terror's demise. He also smiled, knowing that the people of Verdant were probably already returning home.

"Did we keep you waiting, brother?" Serenade asked as she emerged from the cottage. Ashton turned to face her, "Not really. Are you all prepared for the walk home?" Ruby answered as she also emerged from the cottage, "Yes. We're all rested and ready." The other six also emerged and stood near Ashton. Starlet then ran out of the cottage, "Serenade, just a moment." The Gardevoir asked, "Yes, Mother?" She then approached her mother. Starlet smiled, "Just let me take a look at you."

Starlet kneeled and examined Serenade's abdomen. "Um…Mother? What are you doing?" Starlet looked up at her daughter and grinned, "I heard you are carrying my grandchild." Serenade blushed as she smiled. Starlet sighed, "I am very proud of you." She then ran her hands over a certain area of Serenade's belly and stopped. "Oh my. You're starting to show." Serenade gasped and carefully traced her fingers over her belly. Sure enough, she felt a firm gentle curve. She glanced over to Ashton and smiled, "Ashton, our child is growing well!" Ashton blushed as he chuckled, "Was there any doubt?"

Ashton walked over to his mother and embraced her, "You take care. I'll try to visit more often from now on." Starlet giggled, "That would be lovely. Your father and I would love to see you more often." She suddenly froze as one of Ashton's hands snuck down to her belly and rested against her. The Gardevoir blushed and gently whispered into his ear, "I will let you know when I start to show." Ashton gave his mother a tender kiss on the cheek and walked back over to his eight lovers. "All right then, we'll see you some other time." But before they could leave, Siegfried emerged from the cottage, "Hold on. You're forgetting something important." In his hands was a familiar blue sword. Ashton gasped, "Soul Calibur?"

Siegfried carried the sword to his son, "You weren't really going to leave this behind, were you?" Ashton chuckled, "Sorry. I only just got this thing last night." But when he took the sword in hand, a voice spoke, "Good day, young master." Ashton smiled, "Good day, Soul Calibur. Did you sleep well?" Starlet heard the voice and asked, "Did that sword just speak?" Ashton nodded, "It did. Soul Calibur has a soul of its own." But as he gazed at the sword, something came to mind. "I'd best hide this for now." Cassandra asked, "Hide it? But why?" Ashton explained, "Soul Calibur is a sword of legend that is known along with Soul Edge. If someone learns that I am in possession of it, they may try to steal it. Even though not many know of Soul Calibur, it's for the best that we take precautions. Serenade, hold this for a moment." He then handed the sword to his sister and walked back inside the cottage. He soon returned with two long white strips of thick cotton.

Serenade asked, "Ashton, what do you intend to do with those?" The viscount smirked, "Watch and learn." He then took Soul Calibur from his sister and approached Aurora. He seemed to be examining the large hexagonal crystal that was fused to her forehead. He then aligned Soul Calibur with the very center of the gap in the crystal. "Ashton, what are you doing?" Aurora asked. Without answering her question, Ashton spoke, "Aurora, tilt your head back." She did as she was told and raised her head until the crystal was perfectly flat along her flowing blue mane. "Thank you. Chiara, could you give me a boost?" The Lugia nodded and levitated Ashton a little as her eyes glowed a faint blue. "OK, hold me steady." Ashton said as he tried to get used to not touching the ground.

Ashton rested the hilt of Soul Calibur against the bottom corner of Aurora's crystal and wrapped one of the cotton strips around it until it was tightly secured. He then did the same with the tip of the sword as it rested against the top corner. Once Soul Calibur was secured, Ashton signaled for Chiara to lower him. "So, what do you think?" The other seven ladies smiled as they observed what Ashton had done to the Suicune. Laura giggled, "Oh my, you look lovely! Even lovelier than usual!" Aurora tried to look at herself, but she just could not see her crystal. She turned to Siegfried, "Please, I need a mirror!" The Gallade laughed and ran inside. He soon emerged with a full-length mirror in his hands. "Careful. You know what happens when you break a mirror, right?" But Aurora quickly stood before the mirror and looked herself over. She blushed as she saw the bluish metal of Soul Calibur shimmer along with the blue crystal upon her forehead. She giggled, "It's like an oversized hairpin!" She then turned to Ashton and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "I love it! May I wear it for the rest of the day?" Ashton grinned, "Absolutely. And I doubt anyone will suspect it's really a sword now." The nine of them then thanked Ashton's parents for their hospitality and left for Green Mile. But when they were out of sight, Siegfried whispered, "So, did you and Ashton have a good time last night?" Starlet blushed as she brought a hand to her belly, "It was like a dream."

When Ashton's entourage neared Verdant, Ashton signaled for them to stay behind him. But once they passed through the north gate, Ashton stopped. "Is something wrong?" Chiara asked. Ashton replied, "This place… I don't hear anyone, but it doesn't have the feel of a ghost town either." Just then, a voice called down from above them. "You there! State your business!" Ashton looked up and noticed two guards looking down at him from atop the stone walls near the gate. "I am Ashton of Green Mile! I request that you allow us to pass!" The two guards gasped as Ashton spoke his name. "A-A-Ashton? Please, do go on! We owe one, lad!" Ashton smiled as he signaled for his lovers to follow him. The townspeople of Verdant had begun to return.

As they passed through the central square of Verdant, Ashton and his lovers noticed that it was fairly quiet with only a few dozen residents going about their lives. It seemed that the entire population had not yet returned. But a moment later, Ashton stopped as he nearly stepped on something. "Hm? Someone there?" Standing at his feet was a Pichu eyeing him with a smile. "Pichu!" The little rodent said with a grin. But a voice soon shouted, "Tina! Don't run off like that!" A little girl with long red hair ran over to the Pichu and scooped it up in her arms. "I'm sorry. I hope she didn't cause you any trouble. Tina can be a little naughty." Ashton chuckled, "It was no trouble at all. She's a cute little sweetheart." He then gently tickled the little Pichu under her chin. But it was then that the little girl saw his face. She gasped, "Wait… Are you Lord Ashton?" The viscount nodded, "I am. Why?" The little girl squealed, "I saw you! Everyone saw you! Even Tina saw you! That place was so scary, but you saved us!" Ashton gave her a puzzled stare, "Saw me? Doing what?" The little girl smiled, "Fighting that monster last night! You were amazing, and pretty too!" Ashton blushed, "Ah, you must mean when I was dueling Night Terror. Well, I'm relieved to see that you and little Tina here are doing well." But the little girl then asked, "Lord Ashton, may I ask you something?" He nodded and kneeled before her, "I'm all ears, my dear." She then whispered, "Can you please show me your wings?"

Ashton glanced around; worried about what would happen if the other townspeople saw him. But he soon closed his eyes and smiled, "As you wish." To the surprise of the girl and her Pichu, the Z-shaped scars under his eyes became bolder. Then a pair of rainbow wings of flames began to emerge from his back. He then gazed at her with his red eyes, "Well, are you satisfied?" His wings spread wide for her to admire. He then folded them forward until they were at both sides of the girl. She whispered, "They're beautiful…" Without even thinking, she reached out and touched one. "It's so warm." She then grabbed a feather and plucked it from his wing. "Hm? I didn't know my wings had actual feathers." Ashton grumbled as he examined the feather the girl held. She then asked, "May I keep this?" The feather she held continued to flicker in a rainbow of colors. He nodded, "Sure. It is my gift to you." He then dismissed his wings and gently rubbed her head. "Be a good girl and head home now….um… What's your name again?" The girl giggled, "It's Marie! Oh, and here's a gift from me." She then leaned forward and planted a kiss on Ashton's cheek. But the little Pichu reached out and placed a kiss on Ashton's other cheek. Marie then bowed and ran off with Tina in her arms and the rainbow feather between her fingers. As Ashton reeled from the unexpected kiss, Zandria asked, "Thinking about adding some more girls to the harem?" Ashton coughed, "Uh, no. I just did not expect a double kiss, thank you very much." He then signaled for them to move on to the south.

A few hours later, Ashton and his entourage stood at the north gates of Green Mile. Along the way, they had passed multiple families returning home to Verdant. Ruby sighed, "Home sweet home." But Ashton then spoke, "You girls head home for now. I have some business to attend to." Laika glanced up at him, "What sort of business?" He then smirked, "It involves the creation of a new law." Serenade gasped, "Ashton, you're really going through with it, aren't you?" He nodded, "I have waited years for hardcore evidence. And now I have it. Before the sun sets today, humans and Pokémon will become equal throughout Rohta." He then turned to face them, "Stay together, OK? Just to be on the safe side." He then made his way towards the castle while his eight lovers headed south towards the Crimson estate.

Before long, Ashton stood before the moat that surrounded the castle. But before he could shout to the guards that stood atop the battlements, one called out, "He's here, lads! Drop the bridge, and be quick about it!" A moment later, the drawbridge hit the other side of the moat with a crash. "Hurry along now, Sir Ashton! The queen's expecting you!" Ashton nodded in confusion and hurried inside. After passing through the courtyard and a hall, he stood before the entrance to the royal hall. The two guards pushed the doors open without a word. But when Ashton walked inside, a familiar voice called out, "Get over here, Ashton. There is much to discuss." He recognized the voice immediately. "Garyson…"

Ashton dashed to the end of the royal hall and found Garyson standing before the empty throne that sat beside the queen's throne. "Garyson!" He ran over to his old friend and grabbed him in a tight embrace. Garyson patted his friend on the back, "I owe you big, Ashton." The knight chuckled, "You sure you're not hurt? I saw that your rapier was broken. You must've been mad to take on the Azure Knight." Garyson laughed, "If I had known what that beast was, I would've made a run for it. To be honest, I thought that thing was you at first glance! You're the only knight I know who uses a sword that large." But the queen then spoke, "That will do for now, Garyson." He then took a step back and leaned against the throne, "Right, right. Ashton, the queen wishes to speak with you now."

Ashton stood before the queen, "You wished to see me, your highness?" She nodded, "Yes. I was going to send for you, but you saved me the trouble. I wish to discuss the townspeople of Verdant." Ashton listened closely as the queen began. "Last night, I witnessed many wisps of bright blue light pass through the ceiling and walls of the castle. They then descended into the bodies of the people and Pokémon of Verdant that were being tended to throughout the castle. And with every wisp of light that entered the bodies, the people awoke. Tell me, what were those lights?" Ashton smiled, "Those were the souls that had been devoured by Soul Edge. They were released when I vanquished it in the Dead Forest." The queen breathed a sigh of relief, "So the souls returned to their bodies. Even the souls of the Pokémon returned. I suppose that's enough evidence to bring this dishonorable era to an end."

Ashton and Garyson glanced at the queen. Ashton asked, "Evidence?" The queen smiled, "The fact that the Pokémon of Verdant have souls means that every single Pokémon in the world has a soul as well. Just as humans do. It is time to end the discrimination that has plagued the Pokémon of Rohta for so long." She signaled for one of the shinobi guards to approach her. "Come. I need to write." The shinobi nodded, "Oh, yes. One moment." He ran over to her and unfurled a blank scroll. He then handed her a quill pen. She then began to write into the scroll while the shinobi held it from underneath. After a few minutes, the queen stamped the document with the Rohta crest in red wax. The shinobi then cut the document from the rest of the scroll with a kunai before returning to his post. The queen then handed the document to a servant nearby and he carried it out of the royal hall. She then turned to Ashton and smiled, "It is done. I have decreed that all Pokémon are equal to humans."

Ashton began to tremble as tears began to fill his eyes. Garyson noticed and asked, "Ashton, what's wrong? You should be thrilled." But the knight dropped to his knees and sobbed, "My lady, words cannot describe what it means to me that you have finally made my dream a reality." The queen sighed, "Arise, dear Ashton. This is not a time for tears." He brought himself to his feet and took a deep breath to calm himself. But the queen giggled, "But it was not entirely your doing that this proof was discovered. The Azure Knight would have never bothered targeting the Pokémon unless they had souls of their own." Ashton chuckled, "Amazing. Even though that monster was a being of pure evil, its actions helped pave the way for a new era of understanding. Guess I should've thanked it before I destroyed it." But the queen then smiled, "And since humans and Pokémon are now equal, you are no longer guilty of bestiality. I hereby release you from your house arrest." Ashton then bowed before the queen, "Thank you. I owe you much, my lady." He then turned and left the royal hall. He could not wait to tell his lovers the news.

Ashton gave a knock at the door when he returned home. When the door opened, he found Laura floating in the hallway. "Welcome home, Ashy! Oh? Did something happen? I usually don't see you with such a big smile." Ashton suddenly embraced her, "It's done. The queen has decreed that humans and Pokémon are now equal. Our children can at last be born without fear of the outside world." Laura was silent for a moment. Ashton glanced over to her to see that she was frozen with shock. "Ashton….." Laura tried to bring herself to speak, but was unable to bring words to her mouth. So instead, she sealed lips with her beloved. When they broke the kiss, Laura rested her head on Ashton's shoulder and shed a few tears of pride. "Thank you… I was so worried for my babies, but now I know they won't be scorned for their halfblooded origins." Ashton gently rubbed her back while ruffling her feathers, "Same here."

Ashton proceeded to his bedroom and found Ruby inside. "Ashton, I found this note from Master Koga. It said 'For Ashton's eyes only', so I waited for you to return." Ashton placed the Flamberge on the wall and removed his armor before taking a seat in a chair. When Ruby handed him the note, he unfurled it and looked it over. It read, "Ashton, I regret to inform you that your lovers saw through my disguise and immediately left to find you. I can only pray that I was able to buy enough time for you to find and vanquish the Azure Knight before they could interfere. I hope that you were…..no. I am certain that you succeeded in slaying that abomination. I have faith in you. After all, you are the Angel of the Eternal Flame. Am I right?" Ashton sighed as he read his mentor's message, pleased to know that Koga indeed had the utmost confidence in him.

Ashton continued to read the note as a strange expression began to crawl across his face, "I would like to stay here and welcome you back, but I am going to have to lay low for a while. During your absence, your eight lovers became unusually lustful. And they…..well… Let's just say that I would prefer NOT to go into detail about what they did with me. And when they discovered that I was not you….. I'll just say that if I did not tell them that you were hunting the Azure Knight, they would have likely pummeled me to death. For that reason, I must stay away from the Crimson estate for a few months. But we will meet again someday. I swear it. Signed, Koga of the East."

Ruby approached Ashton as she heard him begin to snicker. "Did he write something funny in that note?" Ashton's only response was a barrage of laughter as he fell out of his chair and began to roll across the floor. Ruby gave him a nervous stare, "Would you mind telling me what was in that note?" Ashton came to a stop and steadily stopped laughing while gripping his stomach. Once he had wiped his tears from his eyes, he asked, "My god, Ruby. What in the world did you and the others do to Koga?" Ruby could tell what Ashton was referring to and clutched her stomach as her face turned green. "You just had to remind me! I'm gonna hurl….." But Ashton laughed, "Don't say it! I'm not so sure I even want to know what you girls did with him. But then again, I wouldn't have had to enlist Koga's aid if you had a little more faith in me. You really brought this upon yourselves." Ruby cried, "I know, I know! I wish I had more faith in you at the time! And to think that I…" But Ruby stopped when Ashton barked, "Ahahah! Don't say it!" Ruby sighed, "Right… I don't even want to remember that."

A few hours later, Ashton, Ruby, and Laika finished a tasty turkey dinner and thanked Zandria as she carted the dirty dishes back to the kitchen. But a moment later, Laika's ears perked up as she heard something. Ruby noticed and asked, "Something wrong, Lady Laika?" She approached the door, "It sounds like we have a guest." She then made her way to the front door while Ashton and Ruby sipped some tea. But a minute later, Laika ran back to them with an alarmed expression. Ashton asked, "Something wrong?" Laika replied, "There's a man at the door with a large scythe in hand." Ashton nodded and grabbed the Grass Long Sword before making his way to the front door with Laika at his side.

With the Kusanagi's scabbard in his left hand, Ashton slowly opened the door while keeping his distance. Standing before him was a man with a large silver scythe in his right hand that also had decorative gold markings. He wore a sleeveless robe of sorts and long white boots. The skin tone of his exposed arms was quite dark, much like those of desert-dwelling people. He also wore a hooded cloak that only exposed his face. But what shocked Ashton the most was his left eye, which shone like an orb of gold. Ashton grabbed the hilt of the Kusanagi with his right hand, but the man raised his left hand and spoke, "Away with your weapon. I mean you no harm, Knight of Soul Calibur."

Ashton jumped at the mention of the spirit sword. "Who are you?" The man replied, "Soul Edge spoke of me, did it not?" He then grabbed his hood and lowered it, revealing his bald head. "I am the one who crafted Soul Edge a new body after its fall at the hands of Wolfkrone." Ashton scowled as he slowly drew the Kusanagi from its scabbard, but the man once again spoke, "I mean you no harm. And I had my reasons for aiding Soul Edge at the time." Ashton then demanded, "Reasons? Fine then. If you really mean me no harm, come in. But hand me your scythe." The man nodded and handed his scythe to the viscount after he had returned the Kusanagi to its scabbard. Once he had taken the scythe, Ashton asked, "Now then, just who are you?" The man replied, "My name is Zasalamel."

Ashton and Zasalamel sat at a table in Ashton's bedroom while Zandria poured them some tea. "So, you are the immortal who crafted Soul Edge a new body?" Ashton asked as he sipped at his tea. Zasalamel nodded, "Yes. It was to insure that it would make its way to this kingdom so you would destroy it." Ashton raised an eyebrow, "You actually knew I would be born? How?" Zasalamel explained after tasting his tea, "It began several months before Soul Edge fell before Wolfkrone. I had been devising a means to free myself from my eternal cycle of reincarnation. And it involved the two soul swords. I lured the Azure Knight to a remote location as well as its previous host, a knight named Siegfried Schtauffen who became the new owner of Soul Calibur. As they dueled, the power of the two soul swords radiated throughout the area. And as I tried to gather the two forces in a way that would shatter my immortality, I saw it." Zandria asked, "Saw what?" Zasalamel sighed, "The future of humanity."

Ashton asked, "The future of humanity? Just what did you see?" But just before Zasalamel could speak, Ashton spoke, "Actually, don't tell me. I'd prefer to wait and see for myself." Zasalamel chuckled, "I see. Then I shall keep it to myself. But anyway, when I saw the future, I was filled with the will to live for the first time in centuries." But he then frowned, "But along with the future of humanity, I also saw the future of Soul Edge. It would continue to slaughter thousands and be defeated, only to arise later and continue the cycle. I felt I had an obligation to shatter the cycle. But when I looked deeper into the future, I saw someone who would have the means to destroy Soul Edge for the final time. I saw you, Ashton."

Ashton asked, "Me? You saw me? And then what?" Zasalamel continued, "I saw that if history was left unaltered, Soul Edge would continue its massacres time and time again. I needed to insure that Soul Edge would come to this land during your lifetime. So I waited. I waited for the warriors of my time to grow too old to seek out Soul Edge so they would not interfere. By then, I too had grown old. I then returned to the tower where the Azure Knight had fallen and restored Soul Edge. But only so it could make its way to this land. Later, I followed the Azure Knight to this kingdom and waited. When it wandered into what would come to be known as the Dead Forest, I knew then that Soul Edge's permanent end was secured. But I also took part in that battle to try and keep the casualties to a minimum. I lasted just long enough to witness the demise of the Azure Knight. I met my end in that forest, but my cycle of rebirth protected me from Soul Edge's clutches. And a little over a century later, Soul Edge disappeared forever. All thanks to you, Ashton."

Ashton marveled at Zasalamel's tale, "Amazing. Although I cannot say that I support the fact that many died because of your intervention, I see that it was to prevent the loss of even more lives in the future. And now that Soul Edge is indeed gone for good, the souls of its victims have been released." Zasalamel nodded, "Yes. When I saw the souls of Soul Edge's victims rising into the sky, I knew that the deed was done. I wanted to tell you the truth. I just hope my weapon did not frighten you." Ashton chuckled, "It did surprise me. Just where did you get that thing anyway?" Zasalamel explained, "I have owned that scythe since my first life. It has seen me through battle for countless years." Ashton smiled, "Sounds like a trusty weapon."

After finishing his tea, Zasalamel stood up and walked over to his scythe. "Thank you for your hospitality, Ashton. But I must be going." Ashton asked, "But where are you going?" Zasalamel sighed, "Somewhere… I wish to help guide humanity. Perhaps I will remain in this land as a supporter of this kingdom." He then took his scythe in hand and turned to the viscount. "Farewell for now. We just might meet again someday. Another time, or perhaps another lifetime." He then made his way down the hall to the front door. The immortal then left the Crimson estate and wandered off into the night.

About three weeks later, Ashton visited a local swordsmith to pick up a scabbard for Soul Calibur after claiming a few days earlier that it was an ornamental sword. But as he headed home, Ashton overheard a number of townspeople discussing something. They seemed to give off an unsettling presence, so Ashton hid as he approached them. One muttered, "Tonight at the castle, got it?" The others nodded and went about their business without even noticing Ashton. The viscount scowled as he pondered what it was that they were plotting. After making certain that no one noticed his presence, Ashton quickly made his way home.

Upon returning home, Ashton made his way to his bedroom and put on his casual armor, which only covered his shoulders and chest. But as he reached for the Flamberge, a voice asked, "Dear? Why are you wearing your armor?" Ashton turned and saw his fiancé standing in the doorway. By now, her belly had swelled to the point where she looked as if she was nine months pregnant. Ashton sighed, "I just have a hunch that something's going to happen at the castle tonight. I'll be back in time for dinner. All right, Ruby?" The Lucario nodded, "OK. I have faith in you." Ashton placed a tender kiss on her muzzle before leaving the manor with the Flamberge in hand. But once Ashton passed through the iron gates of the manor, Ruby clutched her belly as a sudden jolt hit her. She could feel her child moving around in her womb. "I must be getting close… Is today the day?"

Hours later, the sun disappeared over the horizon as night fell. Standing near the edge of the moat that surrounded the castle was Ashton and many other elite knights, including Garyson. One knight asked, "Sir Ashton, are you certain that the townspeople are plotting something? We've been standing here for over an hour." The viscount replied, "I just have a bad feeling about this. If nothing happens for one more hour, let's call it quits." But less than ten minutes later, a faint murmur was heard from the direction of the city. Garyson gulped, "I've heard something like that before." Ashton nodded, "Looks like my hunch turned out to be correct." A few minutes later, a mob began to form near the moat with torches held high.

Ashton spoke, "May I ask what you gentlemen are doing over here at this hour?" The ringleader of the mob shouted, "I think you know full well why we're here, Ashton! You think we're just gonna sit by and let such a ridiculous law be created? Think again!" At this, all the other knights readied their weapons in preparation for a confrontation. Garyson shouted, "Ridiculous? After what the Azure Knight did? I think you fools just don't want to accept the truth! Ashton here almost got himself killed digging up the evidence necessary for that law to be passed! And that law was well overdue! Just accept it and learn to live with it!" One of the townspeople replied, "Don't tell me he's got you thinking that too? Are you blokes really going to listen to a madman?" One of the knights answered, "Sir Ashton is first and foremost a loyal defender of Rohta! That includes the Pokémon that reside in the kingdom as well! And any subjugation of Pokémon is an act of slavery! And the penalty for slavery is death!"

The mob began to grow restless as they tried to inch around the knights that blocked access to the drawbridge. Ashton finally grew impatient with the mob and shouted, "ENOUGH! You idiots better give this new law a chance! And if you do not….." Ashton then raised the Flamberge above his head and enshrouded the blade with flames. "We, the knights of Rohta, will burn the city of Green Mile to the ground!" The other knights raised torches as Ashton lit them all with a rope of flames. "Well, gentlemen? What is your decision? Will you give this new law a chance? Or will you be burned alive?" The mob began to cower in fear as the knights stood ready to torch the city. After a moment of discussion among them, the ringleader groaned, "Fine, you win. We'll give this crazy law a go and see if we like it. But I still think the queen has lost her mind." But Ashton placed the Flamberge on his back and grinned, "Trust me. In just 30 days, you'll learn to love it."

As the mob began to disperse, a voice shouted, "Ashton!" The viscount looked up to see a figure flying towards him in the moonlight. "Laura?" The Latias flew down to her lover and spoke, "Ashton… It's Ruby." Ashton asked, "What about her?" The Latias then looked at him with panic in her eyes, "She's gone into labor!" Ashton's eyes shot wide open as he made a hand sign. He turned to the mob and shouted, "You heard the lady! Stand aside!" At that instant, he took off at high speed as he ran past the townspeople and through the city with Laura by his side. He turned to the Latias as he ran, "Laura, fly ahead and let them know I'm coming." She nodded, "I'm on it!" She then flew over the rooftops towards the Crimson estate as Ashton ran along the forest path towards his home.

When he reached his manor, Ashton did not even bother going through the gates and simply jumped them with a Chakra-enhanced leap. He found Laura floating at the front door while holding it open. "She's in the bathroom!" Ashton nodded and plunged the blade of the Flamberge into the ground. "I'm leaving you to deal with that!" He then ran inside and dashed down the hall. When he reached the bathroom, he barged in without knocking and shouted, "Am I too late?" Serenade replied, "You're just in time." Ruby was in the bathtub with her legs spread wide, her blue pants lying nearby. Ashton kneeled next to the tub and gently caressed her face, "Ruby, I'm here." She opened her eyes and gazed at him while breathing hard. "Ashton… It's coming…" He grabbed one of her hands and held it between both of his, "I know. And I'm here for you."

Ruby groaned as she pushed, a gush of liquid splashing from her womanhood. "You're doing fine. Slowly now." Serenade spoke as she gently massaged Rudy's shoulders in an attempt to calm her. Over the next two minutes, the other six ladies entered the bathroom to observe the birth of Ashton's first child. A moment later, a pair of ears emerged from Ruby's womanhood. Ashton whispered, "I can see it. It's almost out. Just a little longer, Ruby." The Lucario could only groan as she continued to push. Another moment later, the entire head of their child emerged. But Cassandra asked, "The head's out, but why isn't it breathing? Is it…dead?" Chiara explained, "It's that way with all babies. Until they completely emerge, they seem lifeless. Just wait until it's completely out." Less than a minute later, the child slipped out of its mother's body. And almost immediately, it began to cry like a puppy. Ruby breathed a sigh of relief as her child left her body. Ashton reached down and lifted up his child and held it to his chest. "There now, little one. There's no reason to cry." The tiny Riolu slowly stopped crying and looked up at its father. Ashton thought it was adorable how its fur was still soaked in its own birth fluid. After a moment, he spoke, "It's a boy."

Ashton handed the Riolu to his fiancé, "Say hello to your mother." When Ruby looked up at her son, the little boy reached out to her with a look of curiosity. Tears began to flow from Ruby's eyes as she took her son into her arms. "My baby… My very own baby boy….." Ruby tenderly licked her child's face, prompting a tiny coo from him. Aurora whispered, "Ashton, he has your eyes." The viscount smiled, "True. He also has my hair." He noticed his dark brown eyes and the spiky dreadlocks at the sides of his son's head. Laura could not help herself and squealed, "So cute! I can't wait to have my babies!" The sudden outburst from the Latias startled the baby as he let out a cry. Ruby tried to shush him and brought her breast to his mouth. As the tiny Riolu began to suckle, Ashton and Ruby simultaneously spoke his name. "Lucash."

A short while later, Ashton carried his fiancé and son to his bedroom for the night. He then noticed that Laika was walking alongside him. He stopped and spoke, "No. Not tonight, Laika." The Mightyena asked, "Is it about your son?" He nodded, "I want it to be just me and Ruby tonight. I want our son to know who his mother and father is. It would be quite troublesome if he mistook someone else for his mother." Laika nodded, "I see your point. All right then. I'll just rest in one of the guest rooms." She then turned and headed down the hall. Ashton whispered to Ruby, "I think she's jealous." Ruby giggled, "I think you're right."

Ashton brought Ruby to one side of the bed and covered her body with the blanket. He was careful to not cover his child as it might scare him. After he partially undressed, Ashton climbed in bed and snuggled up to Ruby. "What's it like to have a family of your own?" She sighed, "If I had to describe it with one word, it would be 'beautiful'. I've never known my parents, but now I am one." She then gazed at Ashton, "Ashton, thank you." She then gave him a tender kiss. He tenderly caressed her face, "You don't need to thank me. I want this as much as you do." He then caressed the head of his newborn son. "My little boy. Little Lucash." But just then, the tiny Riolu reached out and curled his hand around one of Ashton's fingers. They then shared a long glance. And then their mouths curved into smiles. Ashton wiped a tear away as he gently rubbed his nose against Lucash's, who giggled a little at his father's touch.

Ashton and Ruby fell asleep with the result of their love. The boy who would carry on the Crimson family name.


	30. The Beauty of New Life

Ashton began to stir as he felt something crawling all over him. He grumbled, "Ruby, do something about that bug crawling over me." But his fiancé giggled, "Bug? That's your son." Ashton's eyes shot open at this and he sat up. "Son? I don't have a…wha?" He then looked down and saw a Riolu staring up at him. "Oh, you. To think I forgot…" He picked up his son and cradled him in his arms. "I remember now. Lucash." The tiny Riolu giggled as it looked up at its father. Ashton looked over at Ruby and asked, "Are you feeling well?" The Lucario felt along her belly and smiled, "I feel a lot lighter now that I don't have a baby inside me." Ashton grinned, but soon heard his son groan as he reached towards his mother. Ashton handed the Riolu back to Ruby and smiled as he watched his lover breastfeed their child.

There was a knock at the door as Ashton climbed out of bed. "Just a moment." He slipped on some pants and opened the door to find Laika standing there. "Oh, good morning. Come on in." Ashton stood aside to allow the she-wolf into the room. When Laika saw Ruby feeding her child, she walked over to the side of the bed and tried to jump up on it. But she only made it halfway and found her forepaws clutching the blanket while her hind legs tried to grip whatever they could. She then slid off and hit the ground with a thud.

"Oof….. That was odd…" Laika grumbled as she shook her head. Ashton asked, "What happened?" Laika sighed, "I just can't seem to jump like I used to." But Ashton shrugged his shoulders and bent down to her, "No matter. I'll help you out." He then hoisted the Mightyena up in his arms and laid her upon the bed. But he spoke, "Whoa, you are heavier than I recall. Have you been sneaking snacks before bed?" Laika merely let out a snort as she looked away. She laid herself sideways as she looked up at Ruby's child. "Your child seems healthy, Ruby." The Lucario blushed, "Thank you, Lady Laika." But just then, Ashton spoke, "My word….. Laika, you're enormous!" He brought a hand to her exposed belly and gently caressed it. Compared to the size of her body, Laika's womb was very swollen. And along with that, three sets of swollen teats aligned her underside as well.

"Laika, how long is a Mightyena's gestation period?" Ashton asked as he examined her belly. The she-wolf thought it over before replying, "About 60 to 65 days." Ashton gasped, "That means you're due any day now. Ruby became pregnant one day before you, and she gave birth about 60 days later." But he then leaned forward and planted a kiss upon the very center of her belly, "I can hardly wait." Laika then looked down at her belly and blushed, beaming at the prospect of becoming a mother to Ashton's children.

That night, Ashton took a walk with Laika around the manor for some fresh air. But he soon noticed Laika panting constantly as she walked. "Laika, are you really that exhausted?" She wheezed, "I…don't feel very well…" She tried to continue walking, but soon fell on her side as she moaned. "Laika?" Ashton ran to her side as she gazed up at him while gritting her teeth. "Ashton… I think…the puppies are coming…" Ashton gulped, "No time to fetch Serenade. We'll just have to settle for here." He then kneeled next to her while caressing Laika's face to comfort her.

Laika whimpered as a contraction shook her body. Ashton asked, "Are you in pain?" Laika panted, "Not really… There's little pain… But I feel so hot….. And every push takes a lot out of me…" Ashton brought a hand to Laika's swollen belly and felt multiple tremors. "It seems our child is restless. It wants out right now." A moment later, Laika gasped as her child slid out of her womanhood with a single push. The newborn began to whimper as it tried to crawl. Ashton gently picked the child up. It was tiny, small enough to fit in one hand. The color of its fur was the same as an ordinary Poochyena. After closely examining the pup, Ashton set it down next to its mother and whispered, "It's a girl." Laika gently nudged the baby towards her teats and smiled as she began to suckle. But the Mightyena let out another groan as she pushed. Ashton asked, "What's wrong now?" As if to answer his question, another newborn Poochyena slid out of Laika's body and began to whimper. Ashton scratched his head, "Twins? You Mightyena must have big families usually." Ashton quickly noticed that the second child had snow-white fur like its mother. Ashton then placed the newborn next to its sister and smiled, "Another beautiful baby girl." But Laika let out another growl as she pushed once more. Ashton watched in bewilderment as their third child was born. "Triplets! I'll be darned!" He then scooped up his child and looked it over. To his surprise, its fur was a golden brown. "Such an unusual hue." He then set the child down next to its sisters and smiled as he watched the three of them nurse. He then looked over at the exhausted Mightyena and grinned, "That last one is a boy."

Ashton crawled over to Laika's face and tenderly kissed her on the nose. "You did well, my dear." Without warning, tears of bliss began to fall from Laika's eyes as she savored the moment. She could not believe that she was now a mother, and to the children of her beloved master. She looked over the three pups as they suckled from her teats and gently licked their fur clean. She then asked, "What should we name them?" Ashton smirked, "I already named you, so I'll name one while you name the other two. You go first." Laika nodded and looked back over her children. When her gaze settled upon her only son, she spoke, "I shall name him Blake." She then gently nudged her dark-furred daughter, "And I will name her Luna." She then asked, "And what will you name her?" Ashton looked down at the albino Poochyena pup and thought some names over. He soon smiled at Laika, "I think a name similar to yours would suit her best." He then lightly caressed his daughter's tiny head, "Natasha." Laika smiled, "You're right. It does suit her well."

As she watched her children suckle from her teats, Laika's gaze settled upon her son. She then turned to Ashton and asked, "Ashton, do you think our son will become a threat to you later on?" Ashton gave her a strange glance, "Threat? What are you….." An alarmed expression crept across his face and he shouted, "Oh no, absolutely not! I want none of that killing off the males business to insure that I'm not dethroned!" Laika lowered her head as she looked ashamed, "I should've guessed you knew about the traditions of Mightyena packs. I'm sorry I asked." But Ashton gently caressed her head, "Exactly. We are not a pack. We are a family. And they are our children. It is our duty to raise them, not kill them." Laika then gazed up at Ashton for a moment before speaking, "Ashton…" She then leaned against his chest and closed her eyes as she whispered, "I love you." He closed his eyes as well while he embraced her. "I will always love you too, Laika."

A short while later, Ashton and Laika proceeded inside and towards his bedroom while Ashton cradled all three of Laika's pups in his arms. When they walked in, Ruby gasped, "Lady Laika, are those…?" The Mightyena silently nodded with a smile. Ashton then politely asked, "Ruby, I would prefer it if you would leave us alone for the night." Ruby understood and cradled her sleepy son in her arms, "Let's go to bed, Lucash." She then left the room and headed down the hall towards her former bedroom. Laika then bounded up to Ashton's bed, relieved of the burden in her womb. When Ashton placed their children next to their mother, they crawled over to her side and suckled away after she lied down. When Ashton undressed and climbed in bed, he asked, "They don't seem to even notice us." Laika explained, "They are blind and deaf at birth, but their eyes and ears will open in a few days." Ashton nodded, "All right then. Had me a little worried for a second." He then blew out a nearby candle and snuggled up to Laika before drifting off to sleep. After Laika gave each of her children a goodnight kiss, she joined Ashton in sleep.

About halfway through November, Ashton and Laika watched their three children playing in the center of his bedroom while they relaxed on the bed. Blake kept trying to prove that he was the boss since he was male, but the two girls would gang up on him. Laika slowly wagged her tail as she leaned against Ashton, "What is it like to see your children having such a good time?" Ashton held her close with one hand, "It's a feeling I just can't describe." They then looked up at each other and joined lips. But they broke the kiss when they heard whimpers and looked down to see their children trying to climb onto the bed. Ashton grinned, "They sound hungry." Laika nodded and bounded down from the bed with grace and stood still as her children crowded under her. Her teats were still swollen with milk as they hung low. Laika looked over at her lover as her children began to suckle. Ashton smiled, "You are such a beautiful mother." Laika blushed deeply at this and shed a single tear to hear the man she loved speak so fondly of her.

There was a knock at the door as Laika's pups finished nursing. Ashton spoke, "Please enter." The door creaked open to reveal Cassandra with a glum expression. She sighed, "It's always so depressing to watch my lovely garden wither at this time of year. And I can't properly maintain my bush sculptures when there are no leaves on them." Ashton nodded, "That's the cycle of nature for you. They'll grow back once spring gets here." But then Laika's three pups ran over to Cassandra and began to crowd around her. "Well hello there! Oh, you're so cute! Such precious babies!" Cassandra giggled as she nuzzled them. Laika looked back over to Ashton and smirked, "Cassandra really likes children, huh?" He nodded, "She most certainly does."

Cassandra walked over to the bed and tried to climb up onto it, but Ashton spoke, "Hold on. Allow me." He hopped down and hoisted her up to it. "Chances are you are too heavy at the moment." Cassandra blushed, "True, but you're also at fault." Ashton then asked, "Speaking of which, lie down. Let me take a look at you." Cassandra did as she was told and relaxed on her side. Ashton began to caress her swollen belly as he could see the pink flesh under her fur. His strokes were slow and firm. Cassandra began to pant, "Ashton, don't… You're making me very wet." Ashton gulped and pulled his hand away before he saw that her womanhood was becoming moist. But he then looked back at her and smiled, "You look especially lovely with life inside you." Cassandra blushed, "It has been my dream since the day you brought me into your home, Ashton."

That night, Ashton and Cassandra were relaxing in the bathroom of the manor while in the tub. Ashton gently placed both hands on Cassandra's belly under the water as she rested her head near his. "I feel a lot of movement. Are you OK?" Cassandra blushed, "I keep feeling more and more contractions. This is it. Our baby is going to be born tonight." Ashton tenderly kissed her over and over as he kept a hand on her belly. Cassandra let out a sigh as she lay in the arms of her beloved. This was a dream come true for her.

After an hour, Cassandra let out a gasp as she felt her water break. Ashton asked, "Is it time?" Cassandra smiled, "Yes. The baby's coming now." Ashton pushed away some of the lather that had built up on the surface of the water so he could get a good view of what was happening. He could see a reddish liquid cloud near Cassandra's womanhood as she pushed. He could soon see the white fur of their child as its head became visible. Ashton looked back at Cassandra and asked, "Are you in pain?" But the Absol only smiled, "Hardly. All I feel now is bliss. I'm finally giving birth to my beloved's child." Ashton nuzzled her, "A hopeless romantic indeed." He then brought a hand to the child's body as it became visible. The instant the entire child was out; Ashton brought it above water to breathe. The tiny pup whined as its father cradled her in both hands. Cassandra panted, "Please tell me it's a girl." Ashton smiled, "Looks like your hopes came true. It is a girl."

Cassandra gave her daughter a few licks and whispered, "My beautiful baby girl… My dear little Cleo…" Ashton smiled, "That's right. You and Zandria discussed the names of your children. And you did say that Cleo would be the name of your daughter." Cassandra shed a tear as she nodded. She then noticed that her daughter had opened her eyes. They were the same shade of red as her mother's. But Ashton then noticed something. "Wait… Where's her horn? You know, the one on the side of her head?" Cassandra looked to her right and saw the curved horn on her own head and smirked, "If she had one, just imagine how difficult it would've been for me to give birth to her. Don't worry; it will grow in after several days." Their daughter then began to nuzzle her mother's face as Ashton noticed her tail. It was about the same length as other Absol babies, but was a silvery color too, just like Cassandra's.

A short while later, Ashton and Cassandra rested in bed with their daughter as Zandria poured them some tea. The Zangoose grinned as she watched her former rival's child suckle from her teats. "So you gave birth first, huh? Looks like you got the gender you wanted too." The tiny Absol looked over at the Zangoose for a moment and giggled as Zandria gave her a kiss, "If you ever need anything, just let Aunt Zandria know. All right, Cleo?" Cassandra smiled, "I think you and Cleo are going to get along very well." Ashton then asked, "Zandria, come over here for a moment." The Zangoose set down her tea pot and walked over to the side of the bed where Ashton was resting. He looked down at her belly and ran his fingers through her fur. "You're becoming quite large. How much longer do you think you have?" The Zangoose purred, "I'd say another month at most. But watch out. Laura's getting really close. And her pregnancy seems to be making her extremely lustful. I can't tell you how many times I've walked in with her dinner to find her masturbating." Ashton gulped, "Um…I'll take your word for it."

After Zandria left, Ashton crawled over to his lover and daughter and observed Cleo nursing. "She really is a beautiful child. I think she gets it from you." Cassandra quietly giggled, "Maybe so." She then leaned over and gave Ashton a sweet kiss before looking up into his eyes. As much as she wanted to tell him that she loved him, words could not describe just how much she did. Ashton understood this and held her close to him. "So do I." They fell asleep shortly after Cleo did.

A few days after the birth of Cleo's child, Ashton found Lucash admiring the Flamberge as it hung on the wall. "Impressive, isn't it? That zweihander is one-of-a-kind." The Riolu looked over to his father and ran towards him, "Papa!" Ashton snatched up the boy in his arms and cuddled him, "That's my boy. I can see that you'll make a fine knight yourself someday." The Riolu cooed, "Love you, Papa." Ashton smiled, "I love you too, my son." Ruby then walked in and giggled, "So cute. Our son really seems to look up to you, dear." Ashton turned to face his fiancé and grinned, "Who knows. My guess is that he is interested in knighthood." But the Riolu then hopped down from his father's arms and ran over to Ruby. "Mama! Hungry!" The Lucario grinned and hoisted the child up to her chest and sighed as he began to suckle. Ashton nodded, "Looks like he's made some progress in speaking." He then patted Ruby on the head, "I'm going to check on Laura. She's due any day now." Ruby giggled, "All right. Let me know when so I can see her babies."

Ashton proceeded down the hall and gave a knock at the door of Laura's room. "Laura, are you feeling fine?" But the Latias gave a sultry growl, "Hurry up and get in here, Ashy. Mommy needs some loving." Ashton gulped as he began to sweat. (I should just turn around and walk away…) He debated in his head over what he should do, but finally entered the room and locked the door behind him. He found Laura relaxing on her side with an arm supporting her head. He could see her womanhood oozing some liquid as she had just finished masturbating. She gave him a passionate gaze, "Whatcha waiting for, handsome? Come give Mommy some love."

Ashton gulped as he saw that Laura's belly was now very large. "Laura, are you sure that's a good idea? Are you sure we won't hurt the babies?" The Latias nodded, "If anything, the excitement might make me go into labor. Come on, let's have some fun!" Ashton chuckled nervously as he began to undress. Once he was completely nude, he took a seat on the bed and asked, "So how shall we do this?" The Latias pointed, "Rest against the back of the bed." Ashton crawled over to the back of the bed and leaned against it. Laura then floated over to him and positioned herself above him. "Hold my hands." Ashton closed his fingers around hers as she used her mental powers to make Ashton's limp member stick straight up. Ashton gasped as she lowered herself onto him without triggering an erection first.

Laura slowly raised and lowered herself onto her lover's member in a steady rhythm as Ashton's erection grew. He watched Laura's belly moving up and down in front of him and he reached out and ran his hands over it. Laura cooed as she felt the love of her life reaching out to the children in her womb. When she could not restrain herself any longer, she quickly closed her mouth over Ashton's and closed her eyes. Ashton soon replied in kind and embraced her as they passionately kissed while making love. As they kissed, their orgasms began to build. Before long, Laura's inner walls clamped down on Ashton's member as he fired his sperm into her. Throughout their orgasms, they did not break the kiss.

Once the two lovers broke the kiss, Laura collapsed against her lover and sighed, "Just like the last time…" Ashton caressed her back, "Glad to be of service, my dear." But a moment later, Laura's eyes went wide as a gush of liquid splashed out of her womanhood. Ashton asked, "Another one in less than a minute? You must've been really pent up." But the Latias replied, "That wasn't an orgasm, Ashton. My water just broke!" Ashton gulped, "My mistake." He then turned her around so that she was lying on her back against him. "Are you comfortable?" Laura replied, "You bet. This is the moment I've been waiting for since the day I first laid eyes on you."

Laura breathed lightly as contractions rippled throughout her body. Ashton gripped her hand tightly to offer support. Before long, a pair of feathery ears poked out of Laura's flower. "Is it a girl?" Ashton asked. Laura giggled, "Silly. The first one is always a boy." When the child slid out of its mother, Ashton saw that the feathers were white and blue. "I see. So that's a Latios." The tiny Latios began to frantically flap his little blue wings as he crawled around. But Ashton soon noticed another pair of feathery ears emerge from Laura's womanhood. But unlike the Latios, they seemed fluffier and not as straight. Laura panted, "This one's going to be a girl." A moment later, a tiny Latias slid out of Laura. But unlike her mother, the newborn was white and reddish pink. Like her brother, she began to flutter her wings as she crawled around. Ashton reached out to them and lifted them in his hands. He then held the twins near him and their mother.

Laura sighed, "You remember what we decided on naming them, right?" Ashton nodded, "Latios and Latias. Those sound like good names on their own." She nodded, "That's right. And don't be surprised, but they will be speaking in complete sentences by nightfall." Ashton raised an eyebrow, "Less than a day old and they can speak?" Laura nodded, "Latios and Latias have very powerful brains. They are extremely intelligent at birth." Just then, the two newborns levitated right out of Ashton's hands and floated in place. "See? Not even ten minutes old and they've perfected levitation." The Latios floated over to his mother and began to nuzzle her while emitting a high-pitched coo. But the Latias floated over to her father and did the same. As Ashton cuddled his daughter, Laura leaned against him and whispered, "Love you forever, Ashton." The viscount planted a kiss on her nose and whispered, "Love you forever, Laura."

A heavy layer of snow covered the countryside on Christmas Eve as Zandria prepared dinner in the kitchen. She let out a sigh as she stirred some soup in a pot, her hand idly caressing her heavily swollen belly. "Tomorrow's Christmas… And I haven't even gotten anything for Ashton… What would be the perfect gift for the man of my dreams?" The tomboyish Zangoose checked the oven as a turkey baked inside it. "He's given me his love… He's given me his child… What could I give him in return?"

About an hour later, Zandria made her rounds with a cart filled with food. But as she neared Ashton's bedroom, she dropped to her knees as she clutched her belly. "Oh man… It hurts… Don't tell me I'm going into labor?" But she shrugged off the pain and climbed to her feet, "No… I won't let a little pain keep me for fulfilling my duty. Everyone needs to eat." Struggling against the pain, Zandria gave a knock at Ashton's door. "You may enter." Zandria pushed the door open and found Ashton reading a book while Ruby was breastfeeding Lucash. "Hope you two lovebirds are hungry. Tonight, we have…AGGGHHH!" Zandria collapsed next to the cart as she cringed in pain. Ashton dropped his book and ran to her side. "Zandria, what is it?" The Zangoose looked up at Ashton and growled, "I think…the baby is coming…"

Ashton turned to Ruby, "Please leave us for now, Ruby. I don't think Lucash needs to see this." Ruby nodded and made her way to the door. But when she passed Ashton, Lucash reached out for him and cried, "Papa!" But Ruby hushed him and whispered, "Papa needs to be alone with Aunt Zandria right now. Let's go." But Ashton then asked, "Actually, while you're at it, would you mind delivering the food to the rest of the ladies?" He pointed at the cart. Ruby smiled, "All right! Leave it to me!" She then grabbed the cart by the handle and pulled it out of the room and down the hall with Lucash cradled in her other arm.

Once Ashton had closed the door, he hoisted Zandria up to his bed and held her head up. "Easy now. Don't lose control. Try to relax." Zandria then grabbed one of Ashton's hands and smiled, "I can't believe this day is here… The pain doesn't bother me. Trust me, I've felt worse." The Zangoose let out another groan as a contraction hit her. Ashton held her legs wide as a pair of Zangoose ears emerged from her womanhood. Ashton whispered, "The baby's head is almost out." Zandria looked down, but noticed that the left ear was blue instead of pink. Zandria continued to push while squeezing her eyes shut. After what felt like an eternity to her, Ashton whispered, "The child is out." As he said that, a tiny voice cried in front of her. Zandria opened her eyes and looked down at the newborn that lay before her. Its claws were red instead of black and the markings on its fur were blue instead of pink. Ashton gently took the child into his hands and whispered, "Shhhh. Hush, little one. Your father is right here for you." The tiny Zangoose slowly stopped crying and looked up at its father with bright blue eyes. Ashton looked down at Zandria and smiled, "It's a boy."

Zandria looked at her son without saying a word as he looked down at her. Ashton tenderly set the child on her chest while he continued to gaze up at her. Without warning, Zandria burst into tears as she held her tiny child to her chest. Ashton embraced her, "Don't cry now. It's Christmas Eve." But Zandria sobbed, "I just can't take it anymore! You've giving me your love, a home, and a child! And I didn't get you anything in return! Not even for Christmas!" But Ashton chuckled, "What are you saying? You gave me the most precious thing of all." Zandria stopped crying as she looked up at him. He whispered, "You gave me a beautiful baby boy." He then embraced her from behind as their son began to suckle from his mother's swollen breasts. Ashton whispered, "You said you wanted to name your child Atlas if it turned out to be a boy, right?" Zandria silently nodded and smiled, "Yeah… I did… My darling little boy. Atlas."

A short while later, Ashton and Zandria enjoyed dinner while Atlas continued to suckle from his mother. Zandria giggled, "Man, he's sucking so hard! He's going to be a fiery one when he grows up." Ashton smiled, "You think so? You think he'd do well as a knight?" Zandria nodded, "You bet. I wouldn't be surprised if he turns out to be one of the best." Ashton brought a finger down to his son's face and gently tickled his furry cheek. But a second later, the baby reached out and wrapped his hand around his father's finger. He looked up at him with his big blue eyes and grinned as he squeezed his father's finger. "He has quite a grip. I think he will indeed make a fine warrior." But when he lowered his face to his son, Atlas reached out and placed a tiny kiss on his father's nose. Ashton blushed, "But he does have a tender side." But Zandria then leaned over and gave her lover an unexpected kiss on the lips. When Ashton leaned back from her gift, Zandria gave him a passionate gaze and purred, "Meet me in the bathroom in one hour, papa. And make sure you're not followed." Ashton gulped, "I'll be there." As they went back to enjoying dinner, Ashton looked at Zandria out of the corner of his eye, (Even as a mother, she's still the passionate tomboy I love. And I'm glad that part of her has not changed.)

One week later on New Years Eve, Ashton stopped by Aurora's room and peeked inside. She seemed to be watching the snow falling outside her window while relaxing on her bed. Ashton asked, "How are you doing today?" The Suicune turned to her lover and smiled, "I am doing splendidly." The viscount then took a seat next to her and caressed her swollen belly. Two rows of three teats now aligned her underside as she neared the end of her pregnancy. Ashton rested his head against Aurora's belly as he sighed, "I must say that you are the most beautiful of the eight when pregnant." Aurora turned and planted a kiss on his cheek. But she then blushed, "Ashton, I must tell you something. Today, our daughter has been unusually restless. This is the day." Ashton looked at her as she blushed, "I'm sure of it. Our daughter will be born today." Ashton gave her a tender grin before sealing lips with the surprised Suicune. Aurora let out a sigh as he lover embraced her while running his fingers through her blue mane.

That evening, Ashton sat beside Aurora as he rested a hand against her belly. A sudden tremor shook her insides. Ashton spoke, "That's twenty. How many more contractions until your labor begins?" Aurora giggled, "I'd say any minute now." A few minutes later, Aurora let out a gasp as a splash of warm liquid came from her womanhood. She smiled, "It's time." Ashton began to gently massage Aurora's belly as she pushed. But Ashton soon asked, "Are you in pain?" The Suicune smiled, "Hardly. My anatomy is almost as if I was made for childbirth." Ashton then looked back towards Aurora's rear. Her child was being born rather quickly as the head began to emerge after less than three minutes. Ashton saw their daughter's tiny snout poke out followed by her beautiful blue hexagonal crystal. The pup slid out of her mother with one last push. Ashton saw that unlike Aurora, their daughter's mane was a lavender color instead of a deep blue. Ashton tenderly picked up the whimpering pup in his hands and brought her to Aurora's face. "I don't really need to say it, but it's a girl."

Aurora began to lick at her daughter's face to clean her off. Ashton asked, "You said you wanted to name her Aura, correct?" The Suicune nodded, "Yes. Do you think it suits her?" Ashton nodded, "No complaints here." A moment later, their daughter looked around in curiosity. She seemed to understand that Aurora was her mother, but she seemed to gaze at Ashton with indifference. Ashton sighed, "What's wrong with her? It's as if she doesn't recognize me. I am her father after all." Aurora shrugged her shoulders, "Perhaps it is because you look so much different than her. Do not worry for now. I'm sure she will understand in time." Ashton sighed and placed Aura near her mother's teats so she could suckle. But Aurora then placed a kiss on Ashton's cheek, "And even if she never loves you, I always will, my darling." Ashton blushed as he smiled, "Thank you, Aurora. And I will always love you as well."

About two months later in February, Ashton rode Chiara above Green Mile as they headed towards the Viridian Forest. "Don't go too fast, Chiara. The wind chill is unbearable at this time of year!" Ashton was dressed very warmly with only his eyes exposed. But the cold winter air could still get through at high speeds. Chiara replied, "I'm aware, Ashton. I'm just gliding right now." The midget Lugia soared above the city of Green Mile as they neared the border. Ashton glanced down and smiled, "I can see multiple Pokémon roaming the streets along with humans. I believe that new law is starting to sink in with the population."

After less than an hour, Ashton and Chiara flew above the Viridian Forest. The viscount called out, "Keep an eye out for a large gap in the treetops." Chiara soon spotted such a gap and made her way towards it. When they flew above the gap, they saw a familiar cottage below them. Chiara carefully descended and landed near it. Ashton hopped off her and walked towards the door with the Lugia behind him. After a knock, Siegfried answered the door. But he immediately took a jump back and extended his elbow blades. "Who are you and what do you want?" Ashton groaned and yanked off the cloth that was covering his face, "It's me, Father!" Siegfried retracted his blades and asked, "Ashton? Why are you dressed like that?" The viscount replied, "Let's see… It's winter. I had to trek several miles to get here. Why do you suppose I'm dressed in heavy winter clothing?" The Gallade cracked a nervous grin, "I see your point. Sorry about that. Couldn't recognize you through that outfit. Come on in."

Once Ashton and Chiara were inside, Siegfried called out, "Starlet, our boy is here!" A moment later, Starlet came out from down the hall and sailed into her son's arms. "Welcome back, Ashton. Oh, and you too, Chiara." The Lugia bowed, "A pleasure, Lady Starlet….. My word, what happened to you?" Ashton heard Chiara's shock and took a step back, "What are you talking abo….Mother?" Ashton gasped as he saw his mother's body. Her belly was quite swollen and the fabric of her vest was stretched to near bursting by her lactating breasts.

"Mother….. What in the world…" Ashton muttered as his brain tried to understand her current form. She smiled, "Have you forgotten?" She then walked up to him and brought one of his hands to her belly. "I'm pregnant." Ashton blushed, "Oh… I forgot. How many months has it been?" Starlet replied, "Six months. I should be giving birth in three months." Chiara then applauded, "Congratulations, Lord Siegfried! Have you decided on a name yet?" But the Gallade chuckled, "Sorry, but it's not my kid!" Chiara gasped, "You're not the father? But then who is?" Ashton sighed and turned to face her while blushing deeply, "I am."

Chiara was silent for a moment as she tried to process the information that had just been revealed to her. "Are you saying…you got your own mother pregnant?" Starlet spoke up, "Adoptive mother, to be precise. It's not true incest if we have no blood ties. And I assure you our child will be born out of love." Chiara shrugged her shoulders, "Very well then. I suppose it's not my place to question your reasons. But Lord Siegfried, are you not bothered by this?" The Gallade gave a hearty laugh, "Of course not! No matter how much Starlet loves Ashton, she will always love me the most!" Starlet grinned, "Very true! Sorry if you're disappointed, Ashton." Ashton scratched his head with a blush, "No offense taken."

Chiara made her way downstairs into the guest quarters while Ashton and Siegfried took a seat at a table near the kitchen. As they talked, Siegfried grinned, "You don't say. Laika had triplets? And Laura had twins?" Ashton smiled, "Yeah, it's starting to get pretty lively back home." But after a moment of catching up on lost time, Ashton looked towards the kitchen and saw his mother going about while preparing lunch. But he saw that she was practically dancing as she moved and he could hear her humming a pleasant tune.

Ashton turned to Siegfried and asked, "Father, could you tell me something?" Siegfried nodded, "What's on your mind?" Ashton looked back towards his mother, "I've never seen Mother this…..happy before. What do you make of it?" Siegfried calmly smiled and explained, "Ashton, your mother is…..how should I put this…..someone who enjoys her fertility. She is at her happiest when she knows there is a child growing inside her. You should've seen her when she learned she was pregnant with Serenade." Ashton looked back towards his mother and smiled, "And it is I who made her pregnant to begin with."

That evening, Ashton made his way to the bathroom for a hot bath. But when he stepped inside, he froze when he saw his mother standing at the bathtub while nude. Just before she sat down, Starlet turned and saw her son standing at the doorway. A moment of awkward silence passed as Ashton's eyes traced his mother's body. Her pale belly was now beautifully swollen with their child and her breasts were indeed larger than he remembered. Starlet's eyes trailed downwards and she grinned when she noticed a large bulge in Ashton's pants. She broke the silence with a giggle, "Ashton, would you care to join me? The tub is large enough for both of us." Ashton blushed, "Um…..OK." He began to undress as his mother took a seat in the tub while constantly watching him.

Once Ashton was nude, he joined his mother in the bathtub. As she said, there was more than enough room for both of them. But she soon grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him close. Ashton blushed as she rested his head atop her swollen breasts while his back was resting against her belly. After a moment, Ashton grinned, "The baby is kicking." Starlet blushed as she felt her unborn child moving within her womb. "This feels familiar. The way it moves, the gentle kicks against my womb…..yes. Our child will be a beautiful little girl. Just like your sister." Ashton asked, "Do you think Serenade will be disgusted with having a half-sister?" Starlet shook her head, "Not if it came from you. She knows about my feelings for you. She surely would not be surprised." But she then asked, "Ashton, let's make love. Just this once before I give birth." Ashton smiled, "Very well."

Ashton rested himself against one end of the tub while Starlet stood up. As she walked towards him, Ashton asked, "Mother, I'm fairly certain your breasts are larger than I recall." She giggled, "True. I used to be producing enough milk for two children. But now I'm producing enough for three." She then lowered herself to him and asked, "Would you care for a taste?" Ashton nodded, "I would be honored." He tenderly took Starlet's nipple into his mouth and began to suck. Almost immediately, a steady stream of milk began to fill his mouth. Ashton continued to drink as he became enthralled with the flavor. But Starlet soon took note of Ashton's growing erection below the surface of the water. Wasting no time, she dropped to her knees and lowered herself onto him.

Ashton continued to suckle as his mother moved up and down on his member. The pleasure was intoxicating to Starlet as the tip of Ashton's manhood touched the sealed entrance to her womb with each thrust. She could even feel her child moving around inside her as she made love with her son. Before long, she pleaded, "Ashton, kiss me!" The viscount let go of his mother's breast and sealed lips with her as they held each other in a tight embrace. Their tongues reached out and danced as their kiss became powerfully intimate. After a moment more, Starlet's inner walls squeezed Ashton's manhood as it began to milk him for his seed. Ashton's member throbbed as it sprayed Starlet's insides with his sperm. After a moment of enjoying the warm afterglow of sex, Starlet broke the kiss with Ashton and smiled, "That will do for tonight. Let's focus on washing up now."

A few days later, Ashton came downstairs to check on Chiara. When he found her relaxing on the bed in one of the guest rooms, she asked, "Are you sure it's a good idea for us to stay here until I give birth? I can fly." But Ashton shook his head, "You are in very delicate condition now. I just don't want to take any chances." She sighed and glanced down at her big blue belly. "Very well then. If it's for the sake of our child, I'll…AH!" Chiara groaned as a splash of reddish liquid oozed from her womanhood. Ashton joked, "Looks like we won't be here much longer!"

Ashton walked over to the side of the bed and closely examined Chiara as she went into labor. "Take it easy. I think it's a big one." Chiara nodded, "Even so, we Lugia don't feel much pain during birth. The less pain we're in, the less we thrash about. That reduces the chances of predators detecting us." Ashton smiled, "Good to hear. Now be still. I'm going to try something." Chiara asked, "And what would that…OOOH!" She moaned as Ashton plunged his hand into her womanhood. "I'm going to try and pull our child out as quickly as possible. Considering your unusually small size, you might have complications on your own." But Chiara sighed, "I don't care what you're doing, just don't stop!" She let out another moan of pleasure as Ashton moved his arm around.

After feeling around for a moment, Ashton grabbed something. He carefully felt along it to try and figure out the shape. He felt two hands with fingers and a tail with two fins at the sides. Knowing that he was feeling Chiara's baby, he grabbed it and began to slowly pull it out. After a moment, he smiled, "Almost there… Just a little…huh?" Chiara let out a groan as her inner walls clamped down on Ashton's arm in orgasm. Ashton tried to pull out, but was firmly held in place. "Oh, come on! I wasn't trying to pleasure you!" After a minute or two, Chiara's orgasm subsided enough for Ashton to free his arm. And as he pulled it out, a fairly small Lugia newborn slid out with it.

The Lugia child let out a high-pitched cry as it took its first breath. Ashton scooped up the little wet baby and sat next to Chiara's head. "I think it's a boy." The midget Lugia reached out to her child and sighed, "My little boy… I can't believe I just became a mother…" She extended her neck and kissed her son on the nose, prompting a delighted coo from him. Chiara smiled, "I've been thinking of a name for him for some time now. How does the name Winston sound, Ashton?" The viscount nodded, "It sounds very dignified. A name fit for the son of a scholar." But she then nuzzled Ashton and whispered, "Ashton, I want you to know that we Lugia are immortal. As long as I live, you will always be the only man for me." Ashton kissed her on the cheek and smiled, "And no one will ever be able to fill your place in my heart." Ashton then went upstairs to spread the good news to his parents while Chiara played with her new baby.

The next day at around noon, Ashton stood outside the front door to his manor after returning from his parent's home. Chiara stood behind him with Winston snuggly wrapped up in a blanket to protect him from the winter cold. Ashton then gave a knock at the door and opened it, but stood frozen to the spot as he saw what was flying down the hall towards him. Several voices shouted, "PAPA!" Ashton could only pray that he would not hit his head on anything hard as his children tackled him to the ground outside the manor.

"Oof… What's been going on, you little scamps?" Ashton asked with a laugh as his children crawled all over him. He then quickly counted them. "Lucash, Natasha, Luna, Blake, Cleo, Latios, Latias, Atlas…..wait. Where's Aura?" He sighed, "Looks like she still needs some time to understand. OK, everyone off! Daddy's home now." The toddlers scrambled off their father and followed him inside as Chiara closed the door behind them.

Ruby met Ashton in the hall with his children, "They sure missed you. Why were you gone for so long?" Ashton explained, "I was worried that Chiara was in too delicate condition to fly and the winter cold was too punishing for a pregnant woman to walk the distance between here and my parent's home. She gave birth last night, so we came home today." But Ruby gasped, "Lady Chiara had her baby?" She ran up to the Lugia and peeked into the bundle of cloth she was carrying in one hand. The Lucario giggled, "Hello there, little one! Oh, what big hands you have!" Winston giggled as he reached out to his aunt. Chiara grinned, "I think Winston really likes you."

Ashton proceeded down the hall and peeked in on Serenade in her room. She seemed to be reading a document about motherhood and various illnesses babies are prone to. "Are you feeling well, sister?" Ashton walked in and closed the door behind him. The Gardevoir smiled, "I'm just fine." Ashton blushed slightly as he looked down at Serenade's heavily swollen belly. She was now on her eighth month. He spoke, "You're the only one left. All of the others have given birth to their children." Serenade sighed, "I know. After all, a Gardevoir's gestation period is just as long as a human's. That means I have one month to go."

Ashton walked over to his sister and asked, "Serenade, I know this is getting old, but do you really love me enough to bear my child?" The Gardevoir sighed, "Ashton, that's the tenth time you asked me. And I'll say it only one more time." She turned to him and spoke, "I may be your sister in name, but I will always love you." Ashton bowed his head, "I know. I just can't forget that you and I grew up as siblings. Even though we're not related, I can't help but feel…mmph?" Ashton was cut off as Serenade stood up and joined lips with him. A moment later, she broke the kiss and smiled, "Forget about the past for now. Focus on being a lover to me and a father to our child."

Near the end of March, Serenade began to become uncomfortable as her belly swelled larger. As she was taking a bath one night, she began to feel movements within her womb that became increasingly painful. She suddenly felt a release of pressure from within her and a reddish cloud in the water near her womanhood. As pain wracked her body, Serenade groaned, "I'm… I'm having my brother's baby…"

Serenade stood up and placed a hand against her belly while applying Recover to suppress the pain. She could feel the body of her child slowly sliding down her birth canal. Serenade steadily spread her legs while trying not to slip in the tub to allow for easier birthing. She felt the lips of her womanhood spread as her child's head began to emerge. She also felt two objects emerge with it that felt like floppy pieces rubber. Once the head was out, the rest of the body was no problem as it soon fell into the bathtub with a splash. Serenade quickly reached down and picked up her baby before it could drown. She carefully severed the umbilical cord before cradling the newborn in her arms. She soon whispered in tears, "Hello, my precious baby boy…"

A short while later, Serenade left the bathroom with her flowing white gown on as her son suckled from her breast while part of her vest was down. She silently proceeded to the study as she was sure that was where Ashton was. When she peeked in, she found him relaxing in a chair while reading by candlelight. She spoke in a calm tone, "Oh, Ashton…" He turned towards the door and replied, "Yes, Serenade….. Is…that…?" The Gardevoir blushed, "Yes. This is your son. OUR son." She glided over to him and took a seat near her brother. She then handed the tiny Ralts to his father. Ashton saw that unlike Serenade, his son had the two trademark red horns on his head. Ashton could not see his son's face through his green hair, so he parted it to see his big red eyes. The baby boy stared at his father for a moment, and then reached up to him with a smile. Ashton could not help shedding a tear as he touched his boy's tiny hands with his own. He looked over at Serenade and whispered, "Love you, Serenade." The Gardevoir leaned towards him and planted a kiss on his cheek, "Love you too, Ashton." She then cupped his face and made him look at her before sealing sips with him for a passionate kiss.

As their son suckled from his mother's breast, Ashton asked, "What should we name him?" Serenade replied, "I was thinking of the name Kota a few days ago. What do you think of it?" Ashton smiled, "I think it sounds very unique. Little Kota it is." Ashton then stood behind his sister and folded his arms around her before joining his hands over her belly. Serenade sighed, "I can't wait to show Mother." Ashton nodded, "She will be so proud of you."

Two months later, Ashton ran through the Viridian Forest on foot as his eight lovers were too busy tending to their children to accompany him. "This took much longer than it should have. I would've gotten here much sooner if Chiara could've flown me. And it would've been too tricky to fly here in this thunderstorm without her psychic powers." A heavy layer of rain poured through the treetops as he made his way through the forest. Before long, he stood before his parent's cottage. "Hope I'm not too late."

Ashton knocked on the door and breathed a sigh of relief as his father answered it a few seconds later. "I'm amazed you came here by yourself in this rain. Anyway, you're just in time." Ashton smiled, "Where is she?" Siegfried pointed down the hall towards Ashton's bedroom. When the viscount looked inside, he found his mother sitting on his bed with a blush. "Mother…" The Gardevoir looked up at her son and smiled, "I've been feeling contractions since noon. I'll be going into labor anytime now." Ashton helped her up, "Let's get you to the bathroom."

Ashton carefully lowered his mother into the bathtub as Siegfried filled it with warm water. The Gallade then spoke, "I'm leaving her to you, Ashton. This is a time for just the two of you." After his father left them alone, Ashton turned to Starlet and gripped her hand, "How are you doing?" The Gardevoir smiled, "Childbirth is nothing new to me. I can handle it." She gripped Ashton's hand tightly as she went into labor. Ashton watched his mother as she pushed her child from her body. Despite the apparent pain she must have been in, her face showed nothing but joy. Ashton reached into the water and guided his child out and raised it above the surface after the body emerged.

Ashton reached for a dagger and cut the umbilical cord as Starlet cradled her son's baby. She smiled, "It's a girl. Just like I said." Ashton then noticed that their child had the trademark red horns atop her head. "Phew, I was a little worried there. If she had been born without those horns, I would've had a hard time later on telling her apart from Serenade!" Starlet laughed as their daughter suckled from her massive breasts, "I see your point." She then whispered, "I have finally given birth to my beloved son's baby. Now my life is complete." She turned to Ashton and smiled while shedding tears, "Whenever I die, I can die happy. And it's all thanks to you, Ashton." The viscount reached out to her and embraced her, "Don't say that. Let's cherish the time we have left, Mother." He then looked down at his daughter and asked, "Should we name her Monica?" Starlet nodded, "That sounds like a lovely name." She then whispered, "Love you, Ashton." Ashton replied, "Love you, Mother."

That night, Ashton fell asleep with his mother and daughter, happier than ever before knowing that he had twelve beautiful children and nine devoted lovers.


	31. Unprecedented Matrimony

Garyson gazed at the midday sky as he examined the blade of his rapier. The market of Green Mile was bustling with activity in mid summer and the townspeople were taking advantage of the lovely weather. The knight looked up at the grand cathedral that he had come to visit. There were many other guests in the courtyard that surrounded it, both human and Pokémon alike. Garyson closed his eyes and gave a very wide grin to the sky. This was a most joyful day indeed. It was the day that his closest friend was to be married.

Father Pietro walked outside the cathedral while draped in a white robe. He saw Garyson leaning against one of the stone walls that surrounded the structure and approached him. "Good day, Sir Garyson." The knight glanced over and nodded, "Good day to you, father. A lovely day for a wedding, wouldn't you say?" The priest frowned, "Yes, I suppose so. But it still feels…..awkward." Garyson sighed, "Are you still going on about that?" Pietro nodded, "It is written in the scriptures the ways of humanity and Beasts. This union between one and the other is viewed as blasphemy." Garyson grumbled, "I'd watch my mouth if I were you. Say that around Ashton and I can't be held responsible for his actions. Besides, you've seen how happy Ashton and Ruby are with each other. Would you call that a 'forbidden love' knowing how content they are?"

Pietro became silent as he listened to Garyson. But he soon spoke, "Perhaps the scriptures do not hold the truth. I suppose there is always the possibility that the almighty's will was misinterpreted and lost throughout the ages. I just need to, as you young lads say, get with the times." Garyson patted the priest on the back, "That's the way. This kind of love can't be wrong when it's shown both ways. I mean they even had a kid together! And what a cute lad he is!" Pietro smiled, "Yes, I heard about their son. Lucash, was it not? And how old is he now?" Garyson nodded, "Over a year. He's evolved by now. And that means Ashton and I are 17 by now." Pietro nodded, "Young love truly is a beautiful thing indeed."

A short while later, Garyson turned to welcome a few more guests to the cathedral. But among them were two familiar faces. Garyson grinned, "Welcome, Lady Starlet and Lord Siegfried! And…..oh? Who's this?" Siegfried noticed that Garyson was looking at the little Kirlia that was suckling from Starlet's breast and laughed, "What's wrong? Didn't you know that Starlet had another child?" Garyson jumped for a second, but then applauded, "No, I didn't! Congratulations! I never expected you two would have another child!" Starlet then giggled, "Actually, Siegfried is not the father. Ashton is." Garyson's clapping slowly came to a halt as he became a little blue in the face. "Did you say….. Man, I don't even want to know. You have another baby and that's good enough for me. Sure is a cute one….. Wait, what's the name?" Starlet smiled, "Her name is Monica. And she's barely a year old. But for some reason, she evolved sooner than we expected." Garyson gently patted the nursing Kirlia on the head, "And what a doll she is. Cute little Monica."

After a moment of catching up on lost time, Siegfried smirked, "Don't look now, but here comes our own little girl." Starlet looked over to her left and smiled as Serenade ran over to her. "Mother!" The Gardevoir sailed into her mother's spare arm and shared a warm embrace with her. "So good to see you again, Serenade. And I trust my grandchild is well?" Serenade smiled, "He is just fine, Mother. And…hm? Who is this?" Serenade looked down at the child in her mother's arm. Starlet smiled, "This is your little sister. Her name is Monica." Starlet's eldest daughter gasped, "Father, you never told me you and Mother were planning on having another child!" But the Gallade chuckled, "I would've, but she's not my little girl." Serenade looked back at her mother and asked, "But if Father isn't the one, who is?" Starlet grinned, "I'm sure you can guess." Serenade brought a hand to her chin for a moment, but then gave her mother a sly grin. "Mother, did you and Ashton really go through with it?" Starlet only nodded in silence. Serenade giggled, "I should've known you and him would have a baby together someday. You always did adore Ashton more than a mother should." But she then looked down at Monica and gently tickled her cheek. When the Kirlia looked up at Serenade, Starlet whispered, "Don't be shy. This is your big sister." After a moment of looking up at her half-sister, Monica reached out to Serenade with a smile. Serenade giggled as she took her sister into her arms. "So nice to meet you, Monica. My name is Serenade." The Kirlia spoke, "Se…ree…nay…?" Starlet brought a hand to her mouth as she giggled, "She's making progress." But Monica then began press her mouth against Serenade's vest. The Gardevoir sighed, "Oh, why not?" She then pulled down one part of her vest, revealing her swollen breast. Garyson silently turned away out of embarrassment as Monica began to suckle from her sister's breast. Serenade grinned, "I'm a mother too, you know."

After a moment of breastfeeding her sister, Serenade smiled, "All right, that's enough. Save some for your brother." That was when it occurred to her. "Of course! I forgot about Kota!" She then handed Monica back to Starlet and pulled her vest back up over her chest. She smiled, "I'll be a moment. Wait here." Serenade then went behind the cathedral. A moment later, Serenade came back over to her parents with a Ralts held against her chest. She whispered, "He's very shy, so keep your voices down." Serenade then turned her son's head until he was looking at his grandparents. Starlet and Siegfried tried to remain silent, but they could not stop themselves from shedding tears of adoration at the sight of their grandson. Serenade whispered, "Don't be afraid. That's your grandmother and grandfather." The Ralts timidly reached out to them and froze when Siegfried took his tiny hand into his own. The proud Gallade smiled, "Hello there, little one." The Ralts whispered, "Gran…pa…"

Once her son had become acquainted with his grandparents, Serenade introduced him. "Mother, Father. This is Kota. He's a little over a year old now." Starlet wiped her tears away, "Such a darling child…" She then held out her daughter, "Monica, say hello to your brother." The Ralts and Kirlia merely stared at each other for a moment before touching hands. Starlet then handed Monica to Siegfried and took a step forward before embracing her daughter. "I am so very proud of you, Serenade." Serenade replied, "I should thank you, Mother. If you had not requested that I marry Ashton, I would have never discovered that part about myself."

Near the back of the cathedral, Cassandra was carefully assembling the bouquet for Ruby. "Let's see… Roses, tulips, lilies, pansies….. Am I forgetting something?" A little girl's voice answered, "Daises!" Cassandra turned and found Cleo sitting near with a number of daises in her mouth. She smiled, "Thank you! You sure know your flowers." After taking the flowers and adding them to the bouquet, Cassandra nuzzled her daughter, "Thank you, Cleo. And you grew those daises all on your own. Now your father's wedding can't go wrong." Just then, the tiny Absol smiled, "Roses are red, violets are blue. Papa's marrying Aunt Ruby, but he loves Mama too!" Cassandra blushed as she tried not to laugh. She whispered to Cleo, "You're right. Your father does love Ruby. But he loves me just as much. And he loves you too."

A voice shouted, "Cassandra! Got a minute?" Cassandra and Cleo turned to face the voice, but the tiny Absol smiled, "Aunt Zandria!" The Zangoose walked over to her niece and patted her on the head, "Would you like a snack?" The red eyes of the Absol lit up in excitement, "Oh goody! What is it?" The Zandria knelt down with a bowl of red broth in her hand. "It's tomato stew. I need to know how it is." The Absol stuck her head into the bowl and lapped it up in a moment. She then licked her lips, "So yummy! Is there more?" The Zangoose laughed, "Oh, much more! But not until all the guests get here. And I made sure to make enough for everyone." Cassandra asked, "Along with that tomato stew, what else is there?" Zandria brought a hand to her chin, "Let's see… There's roast duck, fresh fruit salad, grilled salmon, tempura-fried veggies, sushi, dumplings, and…" But Cassandra asked, "Sushi? Why are you cooking eastern cuisine for the wedding?" Zandria shrugged her shoulders, "Call it a hunch. Wouldn't be surprised if Koga shows up. I'm sure he'd like some food that reminds him of home." Cassandra nodded, "Good point. By the way, where's your son?" Zandria smirked, "Wish I knew. Probably having fun with Lucash somewhere."

Near the arched gate, Laika relaxed while watching her pups play. Blake still refused to take orders from girls, so Luna and Natasha would chase him until he begged for mercy. But a moment later, Laika noticed a hooded figure proceed through the gate. It seemed to glance around a bit before moving towards the cathedral and stepped inside. Suspicious, Laika barked at her pups, making them face her. "I'm going inside for a minute. Behave yourselves until I get back." The three Poochyena pups nodded, "OK, Mama!" Even though she knew to expect that, Laika felt a warm feeling inside to hear children call her 'Mama'.

When Laika entered the cathedral, she saw many guests quietly mingling with each other as multiple monks knelt in prayer while possibly wishing Ashton and Ruby a happy life together. She soon noticed the cloaked figure standing nearby and approached it. Laika gave it a quick sniff, but the figure did not seem to notice the Mightyena. Laika frowned, "You…smell vaguely familiar." The figure jumped at Laika's words and turned to face her. The Mightyena asked, "Who are you? Are you planning something against Ashton?" he figure looked down at Laika, who raised an eyebrow at the sight of a pair of unfeeling eyes. "You are…..Sabrina?" The woman pulled her hood down and nodded, "Yes. It has been too long, Laika."

Laika asked, "So you came to see Ashton's wedding?" Sabrina nodded, "Yes. I foresaw this several days ago and decided to attend." But Laika then asked, "But why conceal your identity? I thought you were an assassin." Sabrina sighed, "I'm…..not a very social person. I am a hermit. Don't ask me why. I just am." Laika turned away, "But if you do not like being around others, why are you here?" Sabrina looked over at Laika, but then looked back towards the end of the cathedral with a smile, "Because Ashton is a hero of this kingdom. No…not just this kingdom. The entire world. I am sure many will follow his example in time. I could not help but wish to attend this wondrous occasion." Laika smirked, "And if I recall, you kind of looked after Ashton during your late teens. Right?" Sabrina nodded, "Yes. He was like a cousin to me. I made sure to watch for any danger in his future." But just then, Laika heard yelps as her pups began to quarrel amongst themselves. She grumbled, "I thought I told them to behave while I was gone. Sorry, Sabrina. I better break them up." The she-wolf then ran outside and barked, "Hey, what did I tell you?" Sabrina let out a faint chuckle as she heard Laika's children apologize simultaneously.

Outside the cathedral, Laura was chasing after her two children near the bell tower. Latias laughed, "Come on, Mommy! Are we too fast for you?" Latios added, "Maybe she's getting old." Laura growled at this and lunged at them, only to have the two children separate at the last second. The yellow Latias sighed, "Such energy… Is this what it was like for Ashton when he first brought me into his home? Now I know what it was like for him." But Laura decided then to let her children have their fun while she went down to the courtyard to enjoy some time with their guests.

Laura noticed Chiara sipping some tea while her son snacked on a Danish pastry. The Latias flew down to them and asked, "So, how're things going so far?" Chiara smiled, "I've been keeping track of our guests. Over 50 have joined, and more keep coming." But she then asked, "Laura, why do you seem so out of breath? That's not like you." Laura groaned, "My kids wore me out. So I'm letting them run free for now. But I'll bring them down when the wedding starts." Chiara laughed, "You? Tired? Now that's a first!" Laura growled, "Don't rub it in if you know what's good for you."

After a few minutes of idle chatter, Chiara's son tapped her side, "Mother, who is that?" Chiara looked towards the archway at the entrance to the courtyard and gasped to see the queen herself surrounded by a number of knights. "The queen? Even Lady Jessica is here?" Chiara began to walk towards them, but stopped when she saw her son fly over to them and land before the knights that stood before the queen. Two of them drew their weapons as one spoke, "Identify yourself." The little Lugia bowed before them with a wing in front of his chest, "I am Winston. A pleasure to meet you, your highness." One knight asked, "Say… Isn't he one of Ashton's….." Another nodded, "Aye, I think so. And such a fine lad too." The two knights at the front stood down as the queen pushed her way past them. "Hello, little Winston. And do not bow to me. Your father is a great man. It should be I who bows." Winston smiled, "But when you speak to a queen or king, you must bow." Chiara walked over to them and picked up her son in one hand, "I hope my boy did not cause you any trouble. He has been pouring over our books in the study of manners and such. He's even more of a bookworm than I am." Jessica smiled, "It was no trouble at all. Your son is very polite." But just then, a voice spoke from behind the queen's entourage, "Excuse us, but is this where the wedding of the Angel of the Eternal Flame is being held?" The knights quickly spread out as they turned to face the owner of the voice.

Laura came over and gasped, "Oh no….. It's all coming back to me now…" Her face began to turn green as she saw Koga standing at the archway with a number of other shinobi beside him. And standing behind them was a middle-aged man with a long flowing black beard while draped in a beautiful silver robe that shimmered in the sunlight. Chiara gasped, "The emperor of the Far East? Why are you here?" The emperor nodded, "I came here to witness the wedding of a hero who saved our homeland. That is, unless it has already ended." Chiara giggled, "No, you're just in time. Truth is, I haven't seen Ashton since this morning." But Laura then asked, "Sir, why are you wearing a robe of silver? Last I saw you; the robe you were wearing was a golden color." The emperor chuckled, "Yes, good memory. While I am in my homeland, I wear a robe of gold to symbolize my reign as the emperor. But here in Rohta, I am merely a visitor. I have no control over this land at all. Therefore, I don this robe of silver to show my lower class in this kingdom's society." Chiara smiled, "I am amazed that you would be so thoughtful when visiting our land. Oh?" She then noticed Winston reaching out to the emperor. He noticed and asked, "May I?" The mother Lugia smiled and handed her son out to him. But when the boy came within reach, he grabbed the emperor's beard and gave a firm tug. "Ooch!" The emperor yelped as Winston looked surprised. One of the shinobi asked, "My lord, are you all right?" The emperor merely chuckled, "It caught me by surprise, but it did not really hurt." Winston then bowed his head, "I'm sorry. I was curious if that beard was real or not. I've never seen one so long." The emperor smiled, "A beard can indeed reach this length over time if it is properly maintained." Koga then asked, "Chiara, what's wrong with Laura?" She looked behind her and saw that Laura looked as if she was going to vomit any time. The Lugia looked back at Koga and began to look a little ill herself, "It seems she recalls when the eight of us….." Chiara stopped and looked away in self-disgust as she knew that the only reason Koga disguised himself at the time was because she and the other seven ladies lacked faith in Ashton when he went off in search of the Azure Knight. One of the shinobi whispered, "Master Koga, what happened back then?" The elderly shinobi brought a hand to his face and groaned, "I would rather not recall that time..."

Aurora took a look around in the kitchen of Pietro's residence at the cathedral as she came to inspect the fair. Zandria was hard at work cooking for the many guests who may arrive. Aurora then heard a slight ruffle near some sacks of grain. When she came over to investigate, she found a small Zangoose with blue markings in its fur and red claws snacking on some fruit tarts. Aurora growled, "Atlas, shame on you! Wait until the wedding is over!" The Zangoose looked back over his shoulder and made a dash for the kitchen door. But just before he could reach it, something grabbed him by the ruff of his neck. "Where do you think you're going, boy?" The Zangoose child gulped, "Um…..to the bathroom?" Zandria smirked, "Nice try, Atlas." She then turned her son around so that he was facing her while hanging from his neck fur. "If you're hungry, you should've asked." She then held her child to her chest. "You can have my milk for now. But wait until the wedding is over. I made sure to include plenty of food, so there will be enough to go around." Atlas smiled and began to suckle from her breast. Aurora then asked, "Don't you think he is a bit old for breastfeeding?" Zandria smiled, "Almost. He'll be weaned in a couple of weeks." But the Zangoose then asked, "Now that I think about it, where's Ashton?" Aurora frowned, "Strange… I was hoping you knew. Is he not even here?" The Suicune then made her way to the door, "I suspect he's still at the manor. I'll be back before you know it." Once she was outside the cathedral, Aurora broke into a run as she dashed through the city and back towards the Crimson estate.

After only a few minutes, Aurora reached the Crimson estate. But as she reached the open gates, she stopped as she saw Ashton kneeling before Serra's grave. Without a word, she walked up alongside him and sat down. After a moment, she whispered, "You're going to be late." But Ashton quietly replied, "I know. And I'm sorry." Aurora then asked, "Then why are you still here?" Ashton frowned with a somber expression on his face, "It….just doesn't feel right. I'm not supposed to be marrying Ruby." He then reached out a placed a hand on Serra's tombstone, "I was supposed to marry her."

Aurora bowed her head, "She was a very noble woman. I'm sure her entire life was dedicated to you after the two of you first met. She valued your life more than her own." Ashton nodded, "She was always so tender to me while I was at the academy. Almost like a mother." Aurora sighed, "I'm sure she would have made a splendid bride. But even so, she…" Ashton took a deep breath as he stood up, "I really need to stop this. I promised Serra that I would find love anew. And I did. But I need to go all the way. After all, I'm not marrying Ruby just because I love her." He looked over at Aurora and continued, "I'm also marrying her because Serra would've wanted it to be this way."

Aurora stood up and gently nuzzled her lover, "That's the spirit. Don't let the past destroy your will. Shall we be going?" Ashton nodded and began to walk towards the gates, but soon stopped, "Wait a moment. I just remembered something." Aurora looked back at Ashton, who motioned for her to follow him inside the manor. As they approached his bedroom, Aurora asked, "What are we forgetting?" Ashton smiled, "A guest of honor."

Once inside his bedroom, Ashton proceeded to a chest and opened it before pulling something out. It was Soul Calibur in its scabbard. After removing the sword and returning the scabbard to the chest, Ashton asked, "Are you awake?" After what sounded like a yawn, Soul Calibur's voice replied, "Yes… Good day, young master. What do you wish of me?" He then asked, "I was just about to head off to my wedding. Do you wish to come along?" The sword was silent for a moment, but replied, "A wedding is where two souls become bound in love. Correct?" Ashton nodded, "Something like that." Soul Calibur sighed, "The feeling of love is still new to me. I am still trying to understand it, but I would be honored to attend." Ashton smiled, "Thank you. Aurora, come over here for a moment." When the Suicune approached him, he tied Soul Calibur to the hexagonal crystal on her head in the same fashion as the day after slaying Night Terror. Aurora giggled, "A lovely hairpin, I must admit." Ashton asked, "How's the view up there?" Soul Calibur replied, "I can see quite well from up here." Ashton smiled, "Glad to hear. Now let's be on our way." After leaving the estate and locking the gates, Ashton climbed aboard Aurora and she took off as swiftly as the wind back to Green Mile.

Laura and Cassandra were talking to each other about their children as Ashton and Aurora came to a screeching halt right past the archway in front of the cathedral. But when the viscount hopped off of Aurora, Laura whistled, "Whoa, you're looking fabulous today, Ashton!" Ashton was sporting black boots with silver buckles and a tunic with white sleeves and light blue coloration along the front and back with golden threads woven along the chest. Ashton smiled, "Thank you. I was searching through my wardrobe all morning for the right outfit." But just then, a voice asked, "Mother, isn't the wedding almost ready to start?" Ashton and Aurora turned and looked down to see Aura gazing up at them. By then, she was about ¼ the size of her mother.

Aurora smiled, "Yes. Now that your father has arrived, the wedding can begin." But Aura asked, "But I don't see how he can be my father. He looks nothing like me." Ashton bowed his head with a sigh, disappointed that Aura, even after nearly a year, did not understand that she was his daughter. Aurora explained, "Of course he does not look like you. All Suicune are female. If he was a Suicune, he would be female. And you can't have a child with two females." But Aurora then nuzzled Ashton, "And if you need further convincing, your father and I can make you a baby sister tonight. Right, dear?" Ashton began to sweat profusely and gave Aura a panicked glance.

Aura felt a nagging feeling that she should believe her mother and nervously smiled, "Um, you don't have to do that. I think I get it now." She then walked up to Ashton and sat down while gazing up at him. When they locked eyes for a moment, she asked, "Father?" Ashton gave her a tender smile and picked her up before cradling her in his arms. "That's rite. You are my little girl." But just to be sure, Aura turned to her mother and asked, "Mother, are you sure he is my father?" Aurora nodded, "I know that for a fact. He is the only man who has ever mated with me." Aura did not understand what it meant to mate, but she looked back at her father and nuzzled his face, "I'm the flower girl today, right?" He nodded, "That you are. Now go inside and get ready for the procession." After Ashton set her down, the young Suicune ran inside while Garyson held the door open for her. The knight called out, "Hurry up, Ashton! Just because I'm your Best Man doesn't mean you have the right to keep me waiting! All the guests are inside! Now come on!" He then ducked back inside.

Ashton looked up as he sighed, imagining his new life as a husband. But just then, two voices called out, "Papa!" Two small figures came soaring over the roof of the cathedral and into Ashton's arms. "Latios? Latias? Why are you still out here?" Latias giggled, "It's so boring waiting for you, so Latios and I played a game of tag with Mama. But she was a poor sport and quit after a few minutes." Laura growled, "I just wasn't in the mood for games. This is an important day for your father!" Ashton sighed, "But it was my fault for being late. I apologize. What do you say we get this wedding started?" Latios nodded, "OK! Papa and Auntie Ruby are gonna get married!" Laura then followed her children inside the cathedral as Chiara and Winston joined them. Ashton turned to Aurora and nodded, "Well….. We've come this far. Time to see this journey through to the end." Aurora nodded, "Well said, my lord." But just before they could move towards the cathedral, a voice shouted from behind them, "Hold it right there, Ashton!" The viscount froze as cold sweat began to ooze from his pores, "Oh man, not her…"

Ashton and Aurora turned to face the owner of the voice. Ashton gulped, "Black Mist…" The former pirate captain scowled at him, "Ashton, is it true? Are you really getting married today? And to a Lucario?" Ashton hesitated for a moment before replying, "Yes. Ruby and I are to be wed in a short while." Black Mist yelled, "What about me? You said you would think about my proposal! Is this your way of saying no?" Ashton grumbled, "I apologize. I should've told you when I decided. I just forgot about you during the hectic time after I made my decision. If you wish to attend the wedding, please come inside. Now then, I must be going. But as he and Aurora turned towards the cathedral doors, Black Mist smirked, "Oh no you don't." With a quick movement, she grabbed the Viper Edge by its hilt on the back of her hip and lashed it out towards Ashton's neck as the blade extended. The viscount had no time to react as the whip-like blade lassoed him around the neck.

Ashton gagged, "Oh man, not again!" Aurora gasped, "Ashton? Let me…" But Black Mist shouted, "Don't even think about it! You remember last time? Try to interfere and I'll give this sword a good yank. Then you can watch as his neck is shredded." Aurora slowly backed away, horrified at the thought of losing her beloved master. She then ordered, "Turn and face me, Ashton. Unless you want to lose your head." Ashton gulped as he slowly turned around while trying not to move any part of his body. Just like almost two years before, Black Mist slowly approached him while keeping her snake sword taut. When she was only inches away, she spoke, "I'll let you go on two conditions." Ashton shuddered, "What? To become my bride and bear my child?" But Black Mist smirked, "Not quite. Make me the Maid of Honor." Ashton gave her a baffled look, "Um…OK. You're the Maid of Honor. And what is the second condition?" At this, the snake sword around Ashton's neck loosened and retracted until the blade became whole again. After sheathing her sword, Black Mist gave Ashton an amorous gaze and grabbed both sides of his face with her hands. "Pucker up." She then sealed lips with him as she kissed him most passionately. At first, Ashton was shocked by this brazen display of affection. But he soon gave in and embraced her while kissing her back, their tongues mingling together in passion.

Once Black Mist broke the kiss, she blushed, "You know I've always loved you. I can deal with you being sworn to another. But always remember this, Ashton. You will always be my first mate." Ashton smiled, "I'm sure that if I had never met any of my servants, I would've chosen you to be my bride. But it also would've meant that the Pokémon of this kingdom would still be viewed as mindless animals." Black Mist nodded, "Yeah, I heard. So you took down Soul Edge, eh? Looks like I'll never beat you again in a duel. Even so, I just might find my match someday. But I'll always have a place in my heart for you." She then walked over to the door and held it open. "You two coming?" Ashton and Aurora turned to face each other and nodded. The two lovers then proceeded inside the cathedral as a certain man watched from a distant hillside, his silver scythe glistening in the sunlight.

Once inside the cathedral, Ashton was greeted with a voice, "You're late. Did something happen?" Ashton recognized the voice of his bride-to-be and turned to face her, "I…. Ruby… You look…beautiful…" The Lucario was draped in a fabulous white gown and veil that was custom-made just for her. In her hands was the bouquet that Cassandra and her daughter had put together. And around her neck was the very same choker Ashton had given her, its ruby shining brightly. She smiled, "I can't believe this day is really here… It felt like an impossible dream only a short while ago, and now it's really happening." Ashton asked, "Are you having second thoughts?" The Lucario shook her head, "Of course not! You're my husband! You're the only man I'll accept to be my mate!" Ashton smiled, "That's what I was hoping to hear." Just then, the sound of pipe organs began to fill the cathedral. Aurora quickly made her way down the aisle to join the rest of Ashton's family at the front row. Ashton then looked at the rest of his friends and family and nodded, "Let's make this a day we will remember for the rest of our lives."

Everyone present looked back as the wedding procession began. At the front was little Aura with a small basket fastened to her back. With every several steps she took, Aura would use a weak Gust to blow a number of rose petals upwards from the basket, only to have them gently float back down and blanket the aisle. She smiled as she listened to the pipe organs, but also felt a little ashamed that she had taken so long to understand that Ashton was indeed her father. She soon began to scatter the rose petals more vigorously as she tried to make her father proud.

Proceeding down the aisle next to Aura was her half-brother, Lucash. Having evolved into a Lucario, he stood at about four feet and six inches as his human traits had caused him to grow taller than most Lucario, and he was not even an adult at the time. His legs were more like human legs than those of a canine and his hands had developed into human hands coated with fine black fur. He still lacked the spikes that all other Lucario had, a trait he inherited from his mother. His four dreadlocks were no different than when he was a Lucario and he still had that spiky tuft of hair on his head. His dark brown eyes shone with joy as he carried the two rings that would seal his parent's future together in eternal love.

Following after Aura and Lucash was Ruby and the Maid of Honor, Black Mist. The navy captain was still wearing her attire from her pirate days, but she was also wearing a circlet around her forehead with a sapphire embedded in it at the front. As they walked down the aisle, Black Mist whispered to Ruby, "You found a real hunk of a man. Promise me you'll take good care of him." Ruby smiled, "That's a promise."

At the very back of the procession were Ashton and his Best Man, Garyson. For the occasion, Garyson had donned royal purple pants with his favorite dueling jacket and boots with silver threads embedded into them. Garyson whispered, "Look's like you've bested me yet again, Ashton. You destroyed a monster I failed to defeat. And now you've found a bride before I could." Ashton smiled, "Don't feel down. You'll find your match someday. I guarantee it." Garyson gently nudged his old friend, "I'll hold you to that."

Short while later, Ashton and Ruby stood before Father Pietro before the altar while Lucash stood a short distance behind them with the rings. Pietro spoke, "We are gathered here today to witness a historical union of two lovers. At one time, their love was forbidden. Any knowledge of their love could have meant death for both of them. But through the destruction of a vile unholy beast, a new understanding was formed that had been refused and ignored for far too long. That Beasts have no souls of their own and were condemned as slaves to humanity, or worse. But the veils of doubt and lies have been drawn aside and the light of truth now fills this proud kingdom, bringing true equality to this land. And these two are the first to show that Beasts are not beasts at all. They are people, capable of love, of feeling, of understanding." Ashton and Ruby were filled with joy that Pokémon were now viewed as true equals throughout the kingdom where up until a short time before had been viewed as mindless beasts and subjugated beyond belief.

Pietro clapped his claps, "Now, let the vows of love be exchanged with the rings. The rings that have no end as they follow the same path, a path of love that never ends." Ashton and Ruby turned to their son as Lucash stepped forward. Ashton took his ring from the pillow that held them and took Ruby's right hand. They exchanged a long gaze as his eyes silently told her the extent of his love. He then slowly slid the ring onto her finger. The ring was a modest gold ring with no jewelry of any sort. Ashton and Ruby had decided that their rings would be as modest as possible as their love could not be compared to any jewelry, no matter how extravagant. Ruby then took the second gold ring and gazed up into the eyes of her former master. Her beautiful crimson eyes told a silent tale of what her life had become because he had claimed her, a filthy worthless reject, over an entire cage full of powerful and proud Lucario. Her eyes also showed fear. Fear of what would have become of her if he had left her there. Would she even be alive at that moment? But her eyes showed gratitude more than anything else as she slid the ring onto Ashton's finger. After the rings had been taken, Lucash dropped the pillow and embraced his father. "Papa…" Ashton tenderly held his son to him as he whispered, "Thank you, my son." Lucash then turned to his mother before dropping to his knees as he was a little taller than her. He then embraced her as he whispered, "Mother…" Ruby embraced her child while being careful to not drop the bouquet she held. "You did splendidly." Lucash then ran over to his aunts and half-siblings in the front row to join them.

Ashton and Ruby turned to face Pietro. The priest then turned to Ashton and asked, "Do you, Ashton Red…..no. Ashton Ketchum, take Ruby to be your loving wife and to devote yourself to her in sickness and in health until death do you part?" Ashton nodded, "I do." But before Pietro could turn to Ruby, Ashton whispered, "And thanks for using my new name." Pietro cracked a smile, "Anytime." He then faced Ruby and asked, "Do you, Ruby, take Ashton to be your loving husband and to devote yourself to him in sickness and in health until death do you part?" She nodded, "I do." Pietro then raised his hands, "Then by the power invested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife." Ashton and Ruby then turned to face each other to seal their marriage with a kiss. But just then, their gazes turned to face the guests.

Ashton's gaze scanned the people within the cathedral. To his pleasant surprise, he found that along with many humans, there were many Pokémon as well. He then looked over to his mother and say that she was trying not to cry as Siegfried attempted to comfort her. Ruby's gaze was focused on only a few guests. She was looking at her seven 'sisters' as they watched her. She was afraid that they would be upset. That they would hate her for taking Ashton away from them forever. But instead, she saw excitement in their eyes. They even seemed to be edging her on. To claim Ashton as her one true love. The two lovers then turned to face each other and smiled. Ashton dropped to one knee so he was eye level with his bride before removing the veil. They then sealed lips as the audience burst into cheers and applause.

A short while later, Ruby stood with her back to a mass of women, both human and Pokémon. She then looked over at Cassandra and asked, "What's supposed to happen?" The Absol giggled, "You throw the bouquet over your shoulder. Whoever catches it will get married someday." Ruby grinned, "OK! Ready, girls?" 1…2…3!" She then gave a toss as the women prepared to grab it.

Suddenly, a long metal rope of sorts shot out and wrapped around the bouquet before retracting. Ashton brought a hand to his face, "Oh good lord, not again…" The entire group of women turned to face the owner of the whip and found Black Mist holding the bouquet in her left hand while the Viper Edge rested in her right. She had a delighted grin on her face, "Looks like I was right! I really will find my match someday!" But the other women began to glare at her. Among the group were a number of particularly dangerous Pokémon, including a Blaziken, Houndoom, Flygon, and Persian. Knowing she was in trouble, Black Mist took off running around the sides of the cathedral with the women in hot pursuit. Ashton snorted, "Pirates. Tch! Never play fair!"

A short while later, Zandria brought out all the food she had prepared into the courtyard. But first up was a massive cake that she had put special care into making. The cake was fairly simple in design and was covering with a light cream icing. The Zangoose grinned, "Come on, you two! It's your duty to make the first cut!" Ashton and Ruby approached the cake, but soon looked around for a knife. But Ashton then had an idea. He called out, "Aurora! Come over here for a moment!" The Suicune walked through the crowd and stood before her master. "Yes?" Ashton then reached for Soul Calibur, "Just be still for a moment….. Got it." He then untied the sword and took the spirit sword in hand. One of Black Mist's crewmates asked, "Whoa, fancy sword you got there!" Ashton replied, "It's just an ornamental blade! But it's quite sharp too!" He then took the sword in one hand and held it out towards the cake. He carefully whispered, "Do not speak, Soul Calibur…" Ashton then turned to Ruby, "Well? Are you going to help me cut this cake?" Ruby smiled, "Oh! I see now!" She grabbed the sword's hilt the best she could until both of them were gripping it. Together, they made a deep cut of the cake and handed out the first slice. After that, Zandria handled the rest of the cutting. But when no one was looking, Ashton whispered to Soul Calibur, "How did it taste?" The spirit sword's blade was coated in icing and cake crumbs. She replied, "It tasted…delightful."

As the guests enjoyed the feast, the crew of the Perla Celeste played music on the same instruments that they used during Ashton's voyage to the Far East. Many guests were even dancing to the music, including Ashton and Ruby. But Ashton would also frequently swap out suddenly to one of his eight lovers. He was an especially suitable dance partner for Serenade as they had danced before at the royal party where he gave Serenade her first kiss. And for old time's sake, Ashton and Garyson held a duel for the guests to observe. Of course, they both wielded rapiers. But due to his lack of aptitude with the thin sword, Ashton was soundly defeated. But since it was solely for entertaining the guests, Garyson did not count it as a win for him.

That night as the guests continued to enjoy the wedding party, Ashton leaned against the stone archway as torches illuminated the courtyard. He sipped some tea as Ruby came over to him. "Ashton? Are you not feeling well?" The viscount replied, "I'm fine. Just taking a breather from the activities." Ruby leaned against him and sighed, "I can't believe it has finally happened. And I always thought something like this would only happen in my dreams. Now all of Rohta will follow our example." Ashton nodded, "Captain Lance would be proud…"

Lucash came over to his parents and smiled, "Papa, what's gonna happen now?" Ashton smiled, "I'm going to focus on raising my family. I have quite a few children to look after now. Including you." He patted his firstborn son on the head, making him giggle. But Ruby then pointed, "Who's that?" Ashton looked out into the darkness of the street ahead of the cathedral. There seemed to be someone standing in the center of the path with a large scythe in hand. "Is that…?" Ashton then noticed the left eye of the person. It glowed like a golden orb. As the man turned away, Ashton could swear that he saw him crack a smile. As Lucash watched the man disappear into the night, he asked, "Papa, who was that?" Ashton smiled, "A friend."

As his wife and son went back to the party, Ashton could almost hear Zasalamel's words in his head. "Farewell for now. We just might meet again someday. Another time, or perhaps another lifetime."


	32. To the Future

Garyson dropped to his knees as Ashton held the blade of the Flamberge to his neck. "Checkmate." Ashton said with a smirk. Garyson bowed his head and sighed, "I can't believe that you've won over 100 duels in a row. You really are a natural with that sword." Ashton brought a hand to his chin, "Well, we started this tradition back when we were 12. We hold a duel once a month and there are twelve months a year. And it's been about…..thirteen or fourteen years. So…wow. I really have won over 100 duels in a row!" Garyson groaned, "Will this losing streak ever end?"

Eight years had passed since the day Ashton was married to Ruby. And little had changed at the Crimson estate. After Garyson had sheathed his rapier, he pointed at Ashton, "You win this round, but I'll get that winning streak back someday!" Ashton chuckled as he placed the Flamberge on his back, "We'll see, Garyson. We'll see." The knight then left the manor as Ashton noticed Ruby heading up the path towards their home. As Garyson gave her a passing wave, she handed him a spare apple from a basket hanging under her arm. She had done some shopping at the market in Green Mile as it was late spring and the weather was lovely.

Ruby asked as she closed the gates behind her, "Who won?" Ashton smirked, "Me, as always." Ruby giggled, "I wonder how much longer it's gonna take Garyson to realize that he just can't beat you anymore?" But before Ashton could reply, he and Ruby picked up an aroma on the wind. He grinned, "Smells like lunch is almost ready. Let's get to the dining room." Ruby nodded, "Sounds good to me!" They then went inside and proceeded to the dining room after Ashton returned the Flamberge to his bedroom.

As they took their seats at the head of the long table, Ashton and Ruby glanced around as Zandria lined the table with trays of food. Ashton looked towards the far end of the dining room and smiled, glad that the gaping hole in the wall had been repaired. Ruby also noticed the spot and blushed in embarrassment as she remembered the terrible scuffle she and the other eight ladies got into when she went into heat and revealed her love for Ashton. The two lovers then watched as the other ladies and their children entered the dining room to join them.

Cassandra breathed in the aroma deeply as Zandria finished setting out the trays of food. "Fabulous work, as always. Your cooking is still the finest I have ever tasted, Zandria." The Zangoose smiled, "I've been cooking for around a decade now. It's only natural that I'd be this good by now." Once she was seated, Zandria looked towards the head of the table at the lord and lady of the Crimson estate. Ruby smiled, "This feast smells delightful, Lady Zandria." But the Zangoose replied, "You don't have to call me that anymore. You are the lady of this household, so I am no longer your superior." But Ruby shook her head, "I know that. I just like calling you that."

As the family feasted, Ashton looked near Laika as she enjoyed some roast duck. He only saw Luna sitting next to her. He then asked, "Luna, it's been several months since your brother and sister left home to find their places in the wilderness. Do you have any intention of following their path?" The young Mightyena, having recently evolved, looked towards her father and replied, "That way of life does not suit me, Father. I want to remain here at home. This kingdom is my real home." Laika turned and nuzzled her daughter, "You do not need to live in the wild if you do not want to. You'll find your calling someday." The dark-furred Mightyena licked her mother's face, "Thank you, Mother. And I also want to be near you and Father." Ashton nodded, "Your company is always welcome, Luna. And to be honest, I don't want you leaving home anytime soon."

Ruby turned to Zandria and asked, "Lady Zandria, Have you gotten any word from our children since they returned to the academy last week?" The Zangoose replied after swallowing a mouthful of potatoes, "Nope. But you don't need to be worry about them. You know how well your boy and mine work together. They're an ideal team." Ashton added, "They've been enrolled at the academy for around four years. I'm sure they're on the verge of graduating by now. I'm certain Lucash and Atlas will make fine additions to the Knighthood of Rohta." Ruby giggled, "They seemed much focused on following your footsteps."

Ashton looked towards Chiara as she enjoyed fresh seafood soup. "Chiara, have you heard from Winston?" The midget Lugia nodded, "He sent word from somewhere in the Orange Islands. Apparently, he finds the place quite enjoyable and has chosen to find a home down there." Ashton nodded, "The Orange Islands? That's quite a distance to fly. But he does have plenty of room out there. He's just too big now to fit through the manor's hallways." Laura laughed, "Tell me about it! I lost count of how many times he knocked the paintings off the walls while walking by!" Ashton then asked, "Now that I think about it, what about your children? Where are Latios and Latias?" Laura smiled, "They heard about a city in Clavice that has roads of water instead of earth. I think they went there to see it for themselves. Wouldn't surprise me if they decided to move in." Ashton smiled, "A city with roads of water? I'll have to remember to visit it someday."

Zandria asked, "Cassandra, where's little Cleo?" The Absol smiled, "She was given a position at the castle by the queen. Apparently, she was offered the role as the royal gardener. She accepted it with joy and moved in right away. I hear she has made quite a few bush sculptures, even one modeled after the late king himself." Zandria smirked, "Sounds like you taught her well."

Ashton looked down the table towards Aurora and her daughter. The young Suicune asked, "Father, could you please pass the tempura?" Ashton nodded, "Absolutely." He then slid the plate of tempura-fried veggies down to Zandria, who then handed it to Chiara, who then set it near Aura. She smiled, "Thank you." Aurora then nudged her, "You've been addressing Ashton as your father lately." Aura giggled, "Yep! I think I'm getting the hang of it!" Ashton nodded, "That's my girl." By then, Aura had reached about ¾ the size of her mother.

Ruby then noticed her nephew standing up on his chair to reach his plate. "Are you OK, Kota? Can you reach the silverware?" He replied, "Um…yeah. I've been able to reach it by myself ever since I evolved." Kota had recently evolved into a Kirlia. But he was extremely distraught by how feminine he looked and that several townspeople had mistaken him for a girl when he was out and about with his mother. Serenade asked, "Are you sure you're fine? Most people don't stand up on their chairs to reach the table." Her son replied, "I'm fine. I don't feel like I'm gonna fall." He then stuffed his mouth full with soba noodles that Zandria had prepared.

Ashton asked, "Kota, have you decided on what you want to evolve into?" Kota turned to his father and replied, "You mean I can evolve again?" Serenade answered, "Yes. You can evolve into a Gardevoir. You'll look just like me. Well…that is, without these." She brought a hand to her chest as she referred to her breasts. Kota thought this over in his head as he observed his mother, but he soon shuddered, "Do I have to?" Serenade asked, "Well why not?" Kota gulped, "I don't want to look like a girl!" Ashton then recalled a certain day several years before and spoke, "Kota. Once we've finished lunch, meet me in my bedroom. There's something I want to show you." Kota asked, "Is it a new skirt?" Ashton suppressed a laugh, "Nothing of the sort! I'm sure you'll like it."

After several more minutes, Laika froze as her ears twitched. Luna noticed and asked, "Something wrong, Mother?" The albino Mightyena replied, "Ashton, there seems to be someone at the door." The viscount stood up and nodded, "I'll be a minute." He then made his way to the door of the dining room, but turned back and asked, "Did the guest sound hostile?" Laika shook her head, "I didn't even hear footsteps. I doubt it's armed." Ashton then made his way down to the front door of the manor and slowly opened it. To his surprise, a Gardevoir was standing at the door. "…..Mother?" But after a moment, Ashton dismissed the possibility of the Gardevoir being Starlet as she was slightly shorter and her chest was not nearly as developed. The Gardevoir smiled and spoke with the voice of a preteen girl, "Hello, Father."

Ashton took a closer look at the Gardevoir and asked, "You are…..Monica?" She nodded, "Yes. It's been a while since I last saw you, Father. Is Kota and Serenade well?" Ashton nodded, "Yes. In fact, they are enjoying lunch as we speak. Would you care to join us?" Monica grinned, "That sounds splendid! Thank you!" She then stepped forward and embraced her father. Ashton then asked, "What are you doing all the way out here by yourself? Did anyone come with you?" Monica shook her head, "No. I'm alone. I wanted to live with you, Father. I wanted to see you more often." Ashton asked, "You…want to move in to my home?" Monica smiled, "Yes. Is that fine?" Ashton smiled as he nodded, "Of course it's fine. I could never deny my own daughter my company. And we have a spare guestroom. I'm sure you'll feel right at home. Now come. Let's get to the dining room before your siblings and aunts finish without us."

An hour later, Ashton waited in his bedroom for Kota to arrive. He did not have to wait long as he soon heard a knock at the door. "Father? You wanted to see me, right?" Ashton opened the door for the little Kirlia, "That I did. Please enter." Once Kota was seated on Ashton's bed, the viscount closed the door and stood before his youngest son. "Kota, are you pleased with how you look right now?" The Kirlia shook his head, "Not at all. I hate looking like a girl." Ashton then asked, "But you do not want to evolve into a Gardevoir, right?" Kota shuddered, "They look even more feminine! I dread the thought of being one!" Ashton nodded, "I thought as much. But would you like to evolve into a Gallade?" Kota gave his father a baffled expression, "A Gallade?" Ashton replied, "Your grandfather is one. Would you like to look like him?"

Kota thought back to the last time he saw his grandfather, Siegfried. He seemed very masculine and confident. But Kota then asked, "Father. If I were to evolve into what Grandfather is, would I have to become a warrior?" Ashton replied, "Why do you ask?" Kota shivered, "Combat…..terrifies me. I hate the thought of having to hurt others. I don't want to become a warrior. I want to be a scholar." Ashton walked over to his son and gently caressed his green hair, "You don't have to follow the path of a warrior if you choose to evolve into a Gallade. While they have powerful physical bodies, their mental powers are nothing to gawk at either. I think you would make a fine scholar." Kota reached out and clutched tightly at his father, "Thank you. Then I want to evolve as soon as possible."

After giving his son a gentle pat on the head, Ashton walked over to a small end table next to his bed and pulled a drawer open. "I haven't looked in here for years, but I'm pretty sure it's….. Ah, here it is." Ashton pulled a familiar shiny green stone out of the drawer and walked over to his son. "I cannot recall where I got this, but that's beside the point. If you wish to evolve into a Gallade, you need one of these. This is a Dawn Stone." Kota hopped off the bed and smiled, "That's it? That's all I need? OK, I want to evolve right now!" But Ashton held out his hand, "Hold on. You know what happens after you evolve, right? Once you evolve, there's no turning back. You will never be able to become a Gardevoir. Are you certain you wish to become a Gallade?" Kota nodded, "Yes, Father. I have made up my mind. I want to become a Gallade." Ashton calmly smiled, "I see. Then take this stone."

Ashton set the stone on the floor and took a few steps back as his son approached it. Once Kota walked forward and picked the Dawn Stone up in his hands, the Kirlia and stone were engulfed in a bright light. Ashton shielded his eyes as the Kirlia began to grow and change shape. Once the shining light died away, Ashton gazed upon the new form of his son. A Gallade now stood before him. Kota looked just like Siegfried, except he was green instead of blue and was somewhat smaller than him as he was still a child. But Kota asked, "Did it work?" Ashton pointed to a mirror, "See for yourself." Kota walked over to it and froze when he saw his new form staring back at him. When Ashton saw his son not moving, he asked, "Is there something wrong?" But the Gallade then looked over at his father with tears in his eyes. Ashton gasped, "Kota?" The Gallade responded by running over to his father and tightly embracing him, "I love it. I love this new form. Thank you, Father. I love you." Ashton smiled and hugged his son back, "Anything to make my little boy happy."

A month later, Cassandra was tending to her garden during the afternoon when she thought she heard someone approaching the estate. "Those voices….. I need to alert Ashton!" The Absol ran along the side of the manor until she came to the open window of Ashton's bedroom. "Ashton, come quick! They're home!" His voice replied, "They are?" He then jumped out of his window and landed beside her. "Alert Ruby and Zandria." He then ran to the gates and opened them as Cassandra disappeared inside the manor to alert her 'sisters'. A moment later, Ashton smiled as a Lucario and Zangoose came into view along the forest path.

The Lucario and Zangoose were chatting with each other until the Lucario stopped when he noticed Ashton standing at the open gates. "Father!" He broke into a run as the Zangoose took note. They ran alongside each other as the viscount welcomed them home. The two boys leapt into their father's arms, nearly knocking him off his feet. "Welcome home, Lucash, Atlas."

As he walked them into his home, Ashton asked, "So, you back home on holiday?" Lucash laughed, "No way! We're home because we graduated! Atlas and I are members of the Knighthood of Rohta!" Ashton smiled, "I had a hunch that's why you came home. And you graduated together?" Atlas nodded, "Yeah. We promised we wouldn't graduate unless they knighted us together." Ashton patted them on the shoulders, "That's my boys. But what weapons did you train with?" Atlas laughed, "Weapons? The only weapons I use are the ones I was born with!" He then extended his red claws. Ashton then turned to Lucash, "And what about you?" Lucash replied, "I trained in the use of two-handed swords. I wanted to be just like you, Father." Once they reached Ashton's bedroom, Atlas recognized the smell of his mother's cooking and made a dash towards the kitchen. Ashton laughed, "Looks like it's just you and me now, Lucash. Come on in. I want to give you something."

Once in his bedroom, Ashton walked over to the Flamberge and retrieved it from the wall. "You trained in the use of great swords, didn't you? How does a zweihander suit you?" Lucash stepped forward and took the Flamberge into his hands. After making a few very slow swings to get a feel for its size and weight, the Lucario shook his head, "No… It just doesn't feel like the weapon that suits me. It's just too big." Ashton frowned in disappointment, "I see." He then took his sword back and placed it on the wall. But Lucash then added, "But the grip felt right. I think what I need is a sword that's about as long as a hand-and-a-half sword, but with a hilt that's long enough for both hands to grip it." Ashton pondered this for a moment before reaching into a certain chest in the room. He then pulled out a familiar sword that seemed to fit Lucash's description.

"Father, what's that?" Lucash asked as his father approached him with a sword contained in a black scabbard. Ashton replied, "This is the Kusanagi, also known as the Grass Long Sword. I could never get the hang of using it, so I stored it away for a day I might need it. But since I am not suited for wielding it, I think you should take it." But Lucash asked, "And what kind of sword is it? A type of bastard sword?" Ashton shook his head and gripped the hilt with both hands, "No. This is a tsurugi. It's a style of sword from the Far East that dates back to the Bronze Age. It's a double-edged sword just like those used in this land. And as you can see, the hilt is long enough for both hands to firmly grip it." Ashton then held the sword with both hands by gripping the scabbard, "I know that you will get much more use out of this sword than I will." Lucash smiled and reached for the Kusanagi. But just before he could touch it, Ashton swiftly yanked the sword out of Lucash's reach and held it to his chest. Lucash gave his father a stunned look as he tried to understand this sudden withdrawal from his offer. Ashton then spoke, "It is a unique sword of legend, capable of cutting through iron. It was bestowed upon me by the emperor of the Far East himself." He then slowly extended his arms with the sword's scabbard in his hands, "Use it wisely." Lucash closed his eyes and solemnly bowed before his father before tenderly taking the legendary Grass Long Sword into his hands. He slowly drew the blade from its scabbard and grabbed the hilt with both hands. He then took a few practice swings while being extremely careful to not strike anything, even the floor. After returning the sword to its scabbard, Lucash faced his father and embraced him, "I will treasure this sword. It feels as if I was meant to wield it. No weapon I have ever held has felt so fitting in my hands." Ashton patted him on the back, "It is yours now. Use it only to protect those you hold dear and to slay the wicked who would make the innocent suffer."

The day after his two sons had returned from their enrollment at the academy for squires, Ashton stood before the drawbridge of the castle in Green Mile with Lucash and Atlas by his side. Along with them were the boy's mothers. As the drawbridge hit the opposite side of the moat with a crash, Atlas asked, "Father, why are we here again?" Ashton shrugged his shoulders, "Not sure. The queen requested our presence." But once they crossed the bridge, a cheerful voice greeted them. "Papa!" Ashton looked to his left and smiled as he saw an Absol with a silver tail running towards him. With a smile, he reached out and caught the Absol in his arms as she leapt at him. "I wasn't expecting to see you, Cleo. How have you been fairing since moving in?" The Absol giggled, "It's been lovely! I just finished tending to the courtyard and gardens, so I have the rest of the day off. I just love working with plants and flowers." Her father chuckled, "You're the spitting image of your mother, all right."

Once Ashton set Cleo down, she turned to her two aunts, "Hello, Aunt Zandria! Hello, Aunt Ruby!" The two ladies gave their niece a loving hug as she nuzzled them. Zandria smiled, "I brought you some of your favorites. Peach tarts." She held out a small basket and handed a tart to Cleo. The Absol made short work of it before scooping the curved horn on the side of her head under the basket handle and making it hang off of it. "I'll save the rest for later. And thank you for remembering me!" Ruby then asked, "Did you hear your brothers graduated from the academy?" Cleo looked over at her two half-brothers before looking back at Ruby. After the Lucario silently nodded, Cleo ran over to them and jumped up to Lucash, "Big brother! You and Atlas graduated?" The two brothers nodded. Cleo squealed, "That's so amazing! That means you're knights, just like Papa!" But Ashton then spoke, "Forgive me, but we have been requested for an audience with the queen. Let's catch up on lost time once we are dismissed." Cleo nodded, "OK then. I'll be out here checking for any errors in my bush sculpting." She then went over to a large bush that had been sculpted in the form of a knight with a lance in hand.

Once Ashton and his family had reached the doors to the royal hall, they quickly noticed that there were four knights standing guard instead of two. But before he could request them to open the doors, Ashton raised an eyebrow, "What the…?" He noticed that the two extra guards were not human at all. One was a Blaziken while the other was a burly Machamp. Both were clad in chain mail and plate armor. The Blaziken was armed with a heavy lance while the Machamp carried two sets of dual swords. One set was worn on opposite sides of the hip for the two lower arms while the other set was worn on the back for use by the two upper arms. The Blaziken noticed Ashton's puzzled glance and cleared his throat before speaking, "Sir Ashton, it is an honor. I have recently perfected speaking English, so let me be the first to thank you for your hard work for us Pokémon. My name is Richard while my comrade over here is Benjamin. He has not quite perfected English speech, so do not ask him anything. What can we do for you?" Ashton smiled, "The queen has requested an audience with me and my two sons here." The four knights then pushed the doors open for Ashton and his family. The five of them then proceeded down the hall as their footsteps echoed throughout the vast chamber.

As they reached halfway down the hall, Ashton and his family could not shake the disturbing feeling that they were being watched. Ashton did recognize the presence of the shinobi guards, but he could also sense the presence of multiple beings that were not human. At the top of many of the large support pillars hid several Sneasel, Weavile, and Scyther. Ashton whispered to his family, "Don't worry. The guards are simply standing by. We're not in any danger." They then proceeded to the end of the hall and stood before the queen. "You called for us, your majesty?" The queen smiled, "I did. And you have grown quite nicely, Ashton. You look less like a boy and more like a man." Ashton nodded, "Well, I am 25 right now."

Ruby asked, "Lady Jessica, what did you wish to see us about?" The queen spoke, "Last night, I received word that two of your children had graduated from the academy for all squires in this kingdom. I wanted to speak to you about a proposal I wish to offer you." Atlas asked, "What kind of proposal?" The queen explained, "I have discussed with our knights and soldiers about establishing a special unit of knights. A unit that hunts bandits and those who enslave and subjugate Pokémon in this kingdom. Ashton, many feel that you and your two sons would be suited for leading this unit. Do you accept?"

Ashton, Atlas, and Lucash were stunned. They had been asked to become the commanders of a special unit of soldiers? Ashton asked, "Before I decide, what would our course of action be should we find those who abuse and enslave Pokémon?" The queen explained, "Thanks to your efforts and the proof revealed by the evil Soul Edge, we have confirmed that Pokémon and humans really are no different. However, I have reason to believe that there are some in this kingdom who refuse to accept the truth. If you happen to find those who would ignore this law, you have the authority to execute them on sight. Slavery is punishable by death and it would be hard to mask mistreatment of Pokémon as anything else. And many Pokémon have volunteered to join this unit as they would feel honored to fight alongside you." Ashton glanced over at Atlas and Lucash, whose eyes were filled with excitement over this proposal. He then glanced at Ruby and Zandria, who seemed to acknowledge their son's decisions. Ashton then turned towards the queen and smiled, "If there are those who wish to fight alongside us, how can I say no?"

Jessica smiled, "You have my thanks, Ashton." But Ashton then spoke, "However, please remember that I am an independent knight. I swear no direct allegiance with any nation. If the unit needs me, please send word to me ahead of time so I may assist them with their objectives." Jessica nodded, "I understand. And it shall be done. But what about you, Sir Lucash and Atlas?" The two half-brothers looked at each other before looking back at the queen. Atlas spoke, "We would be honored to lead this special unit, your highness. And we will share our duty as brothers." Lucash added, "My brother and I work very well together. We'll guide our soldiers to many victories." Jessica smiled, "You have my thanks. I will send word to you once the unit has been properly established. But for now, please rest up at home." Ashton smiled, "Will do. And I look forward to fighting alongside my boys here. Send word to me if you ever need me."

Years passed as Lucash and Atlas made their names known throughout the kingdom as they led many assaults on gangs of bandits and lowlifes who marketed and enslaved Pokémon for profit. The unit suffered injuries from time to time, but under the wise guidance of their three leaders, the elite unit never suffered any casualties. But after decades of service to Rohta, the Crimson family was dealt an unexpected blow when Chiara returned home with a message from Ashton and Serenade's mother. Fearful of what it was about, the two lovers set out for their former home.

Ashton and Serenade gave a knock at the door of their parent's cottage during early autumn as the sun had set and a cool evening breeze blew through the trees. When someone answered the door, Ashton and Serenade found Starlet with a solemn expression on her face. Though now somewhat elderly, she still looked quite beautiful for her age. Her eyes told her children the sad tale that had been written in her message. Ashton asked, "Where's Father?" Starlet replied, "Follow me." The Gardevoir led her two children down the hall of their home to her bedroom. Lying upon the bed was Siegfried. Ashton walked over to his father and took his hand between both of his. They still felt like the rugged, yet gentle, hands of the man who raised him. But they were now weak and slightly cool. Ashton struggled to hold back tears. He knew that his father was dying.

Serenade whispered, "Father…is he…?" Ashton looked over at his sister and shook his head, "He doesn't have long." Serenade wiped a tear away as she kneeled next to him, her mother watching from the doorway. Ashton tenderly caressed the wrinkled face of the elderly Gallade, "Father, I'm here now." Siegfried slowly opened his eyes and looked over at his children. "Ashton… Serenade…" His daughter came over to him and smiled as tears fell from her eyes, "Yes. We're here, Father." He smiled, "Looks like I can die happy. Everyone's here now." He then looked up at Ashton and gave him a puzzled stare, "Wait a second… Ashton, how old are you now?" The viscount replied, "I'm in my late forties. Why do you ask?" Siegfried explained, "You don't look your age. You seem like you're only in your mid thirties." Ashton shrugged his shoulders, "Must have something to do with the Eternal Flame." Siegfried chuckled, "Right. Doesn't really matter." But he then spoke, "Ashton, listen closely. There's something I want to tell you about your father. The man who entrusted me with your life."

Ashton and Serenade listened closely. Ashton asked, "My father….. You mean my true father?" Siegfried nodded, "Indeed. And believe it or not, he was just like you in the way you view us Pokémon. He was a knight, but eventually became a gladiator in a place where ones' worth was determined by his abilities in battle instead of species. I met your father when he was 28. We became fast friends and thanks to him, a gladiator system was built where even Pokémon could become equals to human warriors. In a way, it was this kingdom's first step to establishing true equality between humans and Pokémon. He was the finest warrior in the arena, surpassing even me. I'm sure he could even give you a serious run for your money if he still lived." Ashton asked, "Who was my father?" Siegfried replied, "Your father…..was Akien Crimson."

Siegfried continued, "Your father met a woman named Maria and they were wed shortly after they first met. And of course, you came into their lives. But as I'm sure you know, both of them were struck down by the Plague that ravaged the two kingdoms of this land. The same disease that very nearly claimed your life as well." Siegfried explained, "Your father entrusted me with you should anything ever happen to him. I raised you as if you were my own flesh and blood. As much as I love you, I felt a need to tell you about your true parents, Ashton." The viscount smiled, "Thank you. But when all is said and done, you are still my father." Siegfried smiled, "You really do have the same kind and understanding heart your father had. You even succeeded where he failed in finding proof of the fact that Pokémon have souls. He would be very proud of you."

Ashton and Serenade held their father's hands as Siegfried's life began to fade away. The Gallade whispered to them, "Watch over my grandchildren. They are in your hands now." Ashton and Serenade silently nodded as tears cascaded down their faces. Ashton whispered, "Goodbye, Father. We'll meet again someday." Serenade added, "We love you, Father. You can leave this world to us." The two siblings remained rooted to the spot as the Gallade's breathing stilled. Only when his hands became cold did the two let go of him. They then embraced their mother as all three began to sob as they mourned the death of the gallant Siegfried.

The next day, Siegfried was given a proper burial next to the grave of his dear friend, Akien Crimson. His surviving friends from his gladiator days joined the funeral at the cemetery for fallen gladiators as they bid farewell to a truly remarkable man. But less than a week later, Ashton and his family helped Starlet move out of the cottage where she and her husband had lived out their lives. Now alone, she could not live a happy life. So Ashton arranged for her to move in with him at the Crimson estate. But while they were able to remove most of the furniture on the first floor, most of the furniture in the underground guestrooms had to be left behind as they had been assembled inside the rooms, making it very difficult to remove them. When they finally left their old home for the final time, Ashton and Serenade bid a tearful gaze of longing at the humble cottage, knowing that they would never see it again.

The following years were of little significance as the kingdom's prosperity more than tripled since allowing Pokémon to live like humans. Many started families with humans while some even ran their own businesses. Ashton's daughter, Monica, was even handpicked by Lady Jessica to rule the kingdom as the new queen when she reached her sixties. While not royally born, her connections through her father were enough to earn her the peerage to truly be accepted by the people of Rohta. Under Monica's rule, the kingdom thrived just as well as when under the rule of Jessica.

The first of Ashton's nine lovers to pass away was his adoptive mother, Starlet. She died in her sleep five years after the death of her husband, Siegfried. The next to die was Laika in her seventies. Her death may have been attributed to old injuries suffered during her hellish years as a piece of property before encountering Ashton. Serenade died several years later in her mid eighties. The next to follow was the chef of the Crimson estate, Zandria. But thanks to her records of various recipes, Chiara was able to perfect her cooking skills to compensate for the loss of the estate's chef. The next of Ashton's lovers to perish was his beloved wife, Ruby. She died in his arms as her body failed her. But his four remaining lovers helped ease the pain.

One day, a message was sent all over the land of Rohta to all of Ashton's relatives. The message instructed them to return home immediately. But in the end, only four received the call. On a rainy night in the month of May, four figures stood outside the front door to the Crimson estate. They were Lucash, Atlas, Cleo, and Monica. Standing near them was a pair of royal guards who had accompanied Monica as she was still the mother of the current king. When the door opened, they saw a tearful Laura floating in the doorway. Lucash asked, "Are we too late?" She shook her head, "No, you're just in time. But hurry. I can't say how much longer he has." The six guests followed Laura inside, failing to notice that Cassandra's bush sculptures had not been tended to for quite some time as they were terribly overgrown.

The six guests were led to Ashton's bedroom. They were not surprised to find the viscount surrounded by Aurora and Chiara, but they did not expect to see Cassandra lying in his arms. Cleo gasped, "Mother?" She ran over to the bed and bounded up to it. She tenderly nudged Cassandra, but Chiara whispered, "It's a miracle that she has been able to live this long. The average Absol lives around 100 years. Your mother is now 113." Cassandra's gorgeous white fur was now matted and scraggly due to her loss of flexibility. Her old age had taken its toll on her body. Cleo tearfully whispered, "Mother…"

Ashton soon looked around at his children and lovers. "Are you the only ones who received the notice?" Atlas nodded, "I suppose so. Perhaps the rest of them are not in Rohta at all. And I know Winston is all the way out in the Orange Islands. There's no way he could've gotten it." But Ashton smiled, "No matter. At least you were able to come." Monica approached her father and smiled, "That's right. We don't want you to die alone." But Cassandra then whispered, "Thank you all. And don't worry about Ashton dying alone. I'll be gone too before long." But Cleo cried, "Don't say that! I don't want to see you go!" But the Absol nuzzled her daughter, "It's only a temporary departure. We'll be reunited someday. Besides, who knows how long you have left?" That was when it occurred to Ashton, "Now that I think about it, how old are each of you?" Monica replied, "We're all the same age. 100 years, give or take a month." Ashton thought to himself, (100? But they still look fairly young. Perhaps Pokémon age better than humans do.) But Lucash then asked, "Wait a minute… Father, you are 115, right? But you look like you're only in your early fifties." Ashton replied, "I'm sure it's a side-effect of the Eternal Flame. But I can't cheat death forever. My days are at an end."

Lucash sighed and approached his father, "Father, I wish to return this to you." He then held out the Kusanagi in its black scabbard. Ashton stared for a moment, but then spoke, "But….. But that was my gift to you. It's yours. You don't have to give it back." But Lucash smiled, "I no longer have any use for it. I have been officially retired from knighthood for over ten years now. And besides, this was bestowed upon you by an emperor, right? In the end, it is still a treasure that belongs only to you." Ashton sighed, "Very well then. If that is the case, please place it in that chest over there." Lucash walked over to a nearby wooden chest and set the Kusanagi inside it. But before he could close it, a voice spoke, "Lord Lucash, please… Take me to my master…"

Lucash looked down into the chest and saw a bluish glow. When he reached in and pulled out the source, Soul Calibur appeared in his hand. "Please… I wish to be near him." Lucash nodded and brought the spirit sword over to her master. Ashton took the sword and scabbard in hand and rested them on the blanket that covered him. "Soul Calibur, I wish to thank you for all your years of dedication to me. I would not even be here right now if you had not shown up when you did." The spirit sword replied, "It has always been a pleasure to serve you, young master. And even though Soul Edge is gone, I feel a sense of…..accomplishment just by being in your hands." She then spoke, "Young master, I have a request. Please allow me to stay with you after death, so I may watch over your tomb." Ashton nodded, "Very well. You may follow me to my grave. I cannot deny you that after you saved my life and soul back in the Dead Forest." Soul Calibur replied, "You have my gratitude. And I will watch over your tomb…from my sleep…" The spirit sword then became silent.

Ashton turned to Lucash, "How are your children doing?" Lucash smiled, "My son is doing very well. He even found a bride quite some time ago. They're even expecting twins in a short while." Cleo then spoke, "My daughter had a beautiful baby girl over in Celestica. Instead of working on flowers, she works with water." Monica spoke next, "My son has become a splendid king. I'm sure he gets his kind heart from you, Father." Ashton then looked at Atlas, "I heard you had a lovely daughter, Atlas. And she even found love too?" The shiny Zangoose smiled, "She did. She fell in love with a Lucario from the northern border of Rohta. I heard they had a beautiful daughter together."

Ashton smiled as he felt his family around him. He turned to Aurora, "Aurora, you were always a motherly and thoughtful woman. You will live on and share your wisdom with many, I'm sure." The Suicune tearfully nodded, "Yes, I will live on. But I will never forget my love for you." He then faced Chiara, "Chiara, your knowledge is enviable to many sages. I'm sure your knowledge will only continue to grow as time moves on." The midget Lugia wiped a tear from her eyes, "It is my passion to seek knowledge. I will watch for new discoveries in this world." Ashton then faced Laura, "Laura, I know just how much you adore me. I'm sure you will be the most hurt by my passing, but I want you to move on. To enjoy life however you can." Laura struggled to hold back her tears as she sobbed, "I can't guarantee that, but I'll try my best for you."

Ashton tenderly embraced Cassandra as she rested near him. "Looks like we get to die together. Right, Cassandra?" The Absol whispered, "I couldn't ask for a better ending, my dear." They shared one last kiss before closing their eyes, their hearts slowing as their bodies failed. Just before his body failed him, Ashton whispered, "No more waiting, Serra. I'm coming…" As the two lovers left the world of the living, Laura let out a wail of remorse as she collapsed upon Ashton's corpse. His four children and two other lovers silently sobbed as they mourned the passing of the illustrious Vulcan Warrior.

In the Dragon's Den, a tomb had been dug out of the earth for Ashton as he had requested to be buried in the home of his old friend, Dimitri. His three lovers watched as his corpse was sealed within the tomb along with Soul Calibur and the Flamberge, the swords that had loyally served him throughout his life. Laura screamed in despair as she was held back by Dimitri, who had by then evolved into a mighty Dragonite. From then on, the kingdoms of Clavice and Rohta enjoyed prosperity while forever remembering the name of the man who had saved them both from eternal damnation and paved the way for a new era of understanding. And his example would set the standards for the path followed by those known as Pokémon Trainers. And the name of Ashton Redford Crimson would never be truly forgotten as his tomb remained intact throughout the centuries.

Until 500 years later, when the Angel of the Eternal Flame would rise again from the ashes…..

_Chosen by history, a man becomes a hero. Engraved into history, a hero becomes a legend._


End file.
